Kitsune Bí Fox Fire
by silrayn silverwolf
Summary: Aya wakes up one morning to find himself changed...very changed... A play on changeling and fairy tail traditions...*implied yaoi, shounen ai* very strange kidnappers--and I do mean STRANGE...
1. Bí: prologue

  
**Title: **"Kitsune Bí "   
**Author:** kijarel/silrayn silverwolf   
**Category:** Romance, Humor   
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Weiß Kreuz.   
**Warnings: **PG-13, shounen ai, implied yaoi   
**Spoilers: **not much maybe some of the anime series mostly about Aya-kun's past, dramatic CDs and OVAs.   
**Key Words: **Brad Crawford, Aya, Aya-kun, Ran Fujimiya, Abyssinian, Schuldich, Ken, fox, and kitsune   
**Teaser: **Aya wakes up one morning to find himself changed…very changed…   
**Pairings: **Crawford x Aya (Yeah, I know…this could have been a Ken x Aya story but it's much much funnier this way! ^__~) and Schuldich x Yohji 

**Inspired by:** A certain fairy tale (that would spoil the story if I told you guys what it is), The Power of Cute - a yu yu hakusho doujinshi, A fic idea at the Yaoi no Hentais board, Craw-chan's Furry****

**Author's Notes: **No this doesn't have anything to do with the Assassin and the Fox Universe, though some of the stuff are outtakes from Cold Water Mischief, I couldn't use all the scenes I dreamt up there so I made this story. 

**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION **I. prologue**

A red fox with five tails sat on the tree panting, his bright fur was dull with exhaustion and his eyes were dilated with fear. His name was Luren of the Fire Clan kitsune and he had been running from his kind for four months straight to save his newborn son from immediate execution. 

Men or more accurately several of his folk that shape-shifted to man-form were scouring the park with seeming casualness. He sensed them as they walked, ghosting through the park like many shadows. He almost whined of desperation, the precious bundle that he carried for so long was hidden in the hollow of one of the trees in this park. 

_If they find him, they'll kill him. I really shouldn't have left him to find some food. I should have found a way to come back earlier… I should have… Don't, don't panic, if you do, you doom yourself and the kit._

It seemed an eternity but searchers finally went away. The fox dashed out of the tree and into one of the others. He emerged a moment later, with a cloth covered bundle in his mouth and dashed away. 

_That was just too close…So tired…and they will never stop until…why dwell on it, must keep on going…_

*** 

Luren changed to his human form and cradled a small bundle of red fur tenderly. He was gaunt from months of inadequate rest and food. The red fox kit looked at him with fevered purple eyes, eyes still full of trust and love despite all they've gone through. This made him sigh as he placed it gently in a basket he had stolen for the purpose. He had concluded that there was no way to escape the hunters that pursued them, not with the newborn kit. 

"Little one, you don't even have a name in all these months of running…but damned if you're going to die nameless without a chance to live a semblance of life." Luren said in a peculiar language composed of growls, whines and yelps. The fox kit whimpered. The kitsune knew that the baby didn't know what was happening though the latter sensed the impending change in the air, the separation. 

_I have to leave you little one. I have to lead the hunters away as far as I can. You have to understand that…maybe someday… Hmm, a name, a good Japanese name for you to hide your heritage…purple eyes…_

Luren took out a pen and wrote something hastily on a piece of paper then he drew the last of his magical reserves to shapechange the youngster into a human baby. The kit looked at him with amazed eyes but didn't make a sound. 

_A good kit, not afraid of magic, what a warrior you would make! If you survive…no, when you survive…_

Luren carried the basket and its contents to the apartment five doors down. It belonged to a well-to-do couple who was childless. Luren had gone through their thoughts and knew that they were kindly and wanted to have children. He knocked on the door then shifted forms and snuck into a dark corner as he felt the woman come to answer. 

Luren saw the woman look about and exclaimed as she read the contents of the little note. She called her husband and took the baby up with such care that he knew he had been right to choose this family. 

_But just to be sure…_

He lurked in the shadows waiting for the man to emerge from the dwelling…half in anticipation and dread…then sighed. 

"Be well. Little Ran." Luren said finally as he saw the human man look tenderly upon his kit as if it was the latter's own. He ran back into the shadows. 

**~tbc~**


	2. Bí: strange...twice strange...

**** ****

**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION ****

**II. strange…twice strange**

_23 years later…_

"Bombay quick with it!" Youji shouted. He shot a wire at the pursuing guards as he rounded the last corner. 

"We're going to get trapped here if you don't get that door open soon." Ken said following closely behind, slashing out with his bugnucks taking out two guards out. The desperation in his voice was so strong that it carried through the heavy metal-reinforced door to where Aya stood. 

The mission was the usual, to destroy the labs of a drug lord and to eliminate the said criminal, but obviously something had gone wrong. There had been more guards than been previously reported or the target had been tipped off, either way they had barely managed to take out the main target and set the explosives with the guards hot on their trail. Aya had been left to guard the escape route and had managed his job admirably despite everything and was waiting for the rest of the team to make it through the door. 

"Ch! There's a corresponding lock on the other side. Abyssinian would you try…" 

"Hai." Aya said moving in on the door. 

"Hurry!" 

"Hn." Aya set to work on the lock. He wasn't the expert Bombay and Balinese were but he did learn a thing or two in his time as a freelance assassin. He barely put a pick on the lock when it clicked open to spill his teammates out into the corridor. Then they went into full flight though he spared a moment to look back. There was no pursuit though there seems to be a hint of something…something burning. 

_Peculiar, I though Omi's explosives weren't going to go up for twenty more minutes…good thing they got out then…_

*** 

Aya woke up feeling strange. First of all, no matter what he did he couldn't stand up. Not only that, he felt really warm, warmer than usual with his thin blanket. Everything seems to look oddly distorted and large, much larger than usual. He was surprised to note that he felt something sway behind his back. He heard a strange sound and tried to find its source, it sounded like a puppy whining. He heard it again and realized that the odd noise was coming from his own mouth. 

He wondered if the drug lord was experimenting with genetic manipulation like the younger Takatori or perhaps diseases. It felt like he had caught something from last night. He crawled on all fours to the side of the bed to face the mirror and got the shock of his life. Everything faded into black. 

*** 

Aya glared at his reflection in the mirror. It didn't change. He had stared at it since he had come to from his faint of surprise but the image in the mirror didn't change. It still showed a red purple-eyed fox with three tails. A small fox, not as small as a toy dog breed but small, sitting on a blue and white bedspread. He wagged his tails. He hated that. It was so undignified. He held them still. If he had to change into some canine, a kawaii little fox would be his last choice. He looked like some little girl's lapdog or a stuff toy. 

_A mastiff maybe, a great Dane, a guard dog breed not a small pathetic little fox…_

Disgust colored Aya's thoughts, then he noticed that he had more urgent things to think about. 

_How do I take a leak around here, the comfort room's outside in the hallway and I'm…too small…to reach the doorknob…Omi's headed on out already and won't be back until the afternoon. I won't be able to get anyone's attention till then. Besides that I need to prove that I'm sentient and I'm me! Hmmm…_

*** 

Aya looked around the room from where he sat on the desk, a ballpoint pen in his mouth. He was annoyed and bruised from doing what he thought of as the preliminaries of his plan. He had gotten banged up while trying to get here on the desk. It took him five tries before he managed to judge the height of table properly, he managed to hit his ears on his first try, his nose on the second, landed on one of his tails in the third try and so on. He looked for something to make a loud noise with to alert his teammates to his predicament. 

_Another thing to destroy… Now I know why cats bury their…waste. It's so smelly._

Aya had started to notice that his nose was more acute in this form after he had gone over his panic. He looked in askance at tipped laundry basket and the orange sweater he had…eliminated on…in distaste. He didn't really wanted to do that but it was the first available thing on the laundry basket that he could drag out. It took a lot of time to do things with human sized furniture when you're a small fox. 

_If I end up in this form permanently I got to get a fox-sized desk, a bed and… What am I thinking of? There has to be an antidote to this situation… I refuse to spend my entire life as someone's pet!_

A mastiff's growl sound loudly through out the room making Aya jump a little until he found to his chagrin that it was his own little tummy that was making the sound. 

_I'm so hungry… Oh, it's going to be a long wait…_

*** 

It was well into the afternoon when he heard Omi and Youji pass by his door. 

"Are you sure we shouldn't try to look in Aya-kun to make sure he's all right? He hasn't come out since we turned in for the mission, he might have a wound or something from last night." Omi said. 

"You know that wouldn't be a bad idea. Omittchi, why don't you try the door? " Youji said. 

"Why don't you try, Youji-kun?" 

"No, it was your idea, you do it, I insist." 

Aya sighed, he knew that the two Weiß members would be arguing till nightfall if he didn't intervene. 

_Honestly, I wouldn't run them through with my katana if they knocked nicely or even barged in to see how I am._

Aya decided on his tin penholder. He swiped it with his little paw. It flew into the air clatter hard upon the floor hurting Aya's newly sensitive ears. 

"Aya-kun!" Omi said breaking off the argument with Youji. 

"Aya, are you alright in there?" 

Of course, Aya couldn't answer the question. 

_Come on guys break down the door, I'm tired, hungry and thirsty…_

Aya held his paws over his ears as his teammates battered the door down and whimpered as a particularly loud bang got through his improvised earplugs. 

*** 

"Aya-kun-- Kawaii, a small fox! I wonder where he came from?" Omi said as the two Weiß came in the room. 

"Obviously, Aya had acquired a new pet without telling us." Youji said lazily coming in closer to see him. 

_New pet indeed…_

Aya jumped up with the piece of paper in his mouth as soon as Youji was in range. He landed on the blond operative's face, inadvertently felling the blond. 

"Oi he likes you." Omi said leaving the blond to deal with the fox as he noticed the mess in the room. 

"Mmph!" Youji said as Aya tried to cram the piece of paper into Youji sight. 

"What is his name? I think we need to get him a litter box…" Omi said as he held up the ruined orange sweater. 

"I think his name is…" Youji said as he pulled Aya away from his face taking the paper out of Aya's mouth. 

_Yes, tell Omi that it's Aya, Fujimiya Aya, Abyssinian, your old teammate… Come on…_

"Ayan." Youji said squinting at the piece of paper. 

_Huh? He can't read my writing?_

Aya stared Youji then at the paper--at the crumpled and saliva-moistened bit of paper--and realized that the words must have become indecipherable. He frowned ferociously, about to raise a yap of protest when his stomach grumbled again to the smiles of his teammates. He can almost see what they were thinking. 

_"What a loud sound for a small tummy!" oh well, at least, I'm going to get something to eat… I'll think about convincing them about my sentience later…_

*** 

Aya found himself frowning on the bowl of doggie mush that Omi bought from the supermarket. 

_Ugh! What they do make this out off moldy old bread crusts…_

Aya glared at his teammates. 

"I don't think Ayan-chan wants the food you bought him, Omi, he's not eating too much." Ken said catching the glare that Aya threw them all. 

"It's the best dog food in the market, Kenken. It's probably because Aya fed him a different brand of puppy chow. He'll get use to it or maybe it's because it's such a large portion for such a tiny thing." Youji said lifting Aya, up to nuzzle him. 

_Ack, the dangers of being a kawaii fox… And there was something…_

Aya noted Youji's scent it was a mix of cigarette smoke and cologne that he never smelled before and it was…it was… 

Hatchoo! _Irritating to his sensitive foxy sinuses…_

Youji put him down on the table being temporarily blinded by assorted liquids, best left unnamed. 

_Bingo!_

"Oh, really now, like he's not snarfing down the sashimi and sushi on your plate!" Ken said trying hard not to laugh but miserably failing in the attempt. 

"Ayan! Bad fox, bad fox…" Youji said, starting on a long lecture that Aya ignored in favor of finishing the rest of the food on the playboy's plate. Seeing himself ignored by the fox, the blond playboy decided to complain to their other teammates, both of which were laughing so hard they hardly paid attention to his griping. 

"Stands to reason, he eats Japanese food if Aya had him for awhile. How else did Aya keep his existence to us as a secret?" Omi said chuckling as he did so. 

"I get no respect around here." Youji said, throwing his arms about theatrically but getting no sympathy from the others. 

"And don't you have anything to say for yourself you furry bandit?" Youji said sitting down so that he was eye-level with Aya. 

Aya just burped into his face. 

*** 

_Cough, cough_. 

Aya choked on Youji's second hand smoke making a funny sound as his eyes and nose watered. He glared at the blond's legs since it was the only portion of the tall man's anatomy that was in his eye level, contemplating giving the playboy a bite. 

_I told him time and time again not to smoke in the shop. It makes the flowers wilt and makes them stink. Nah, I'll probably get a kick for my trouble…_

It was then when Omi entered the shop carrying a large dipper full of water. He began to refill the vases around the room. It was a goodly three-fourths of the way full when the youngest Weiß member put it on the counter. 

_Eureka!_

Aya measured the height of the stool and the height of the counter. He jumped on to the stool. 

_So far so good…ah, how convenient…_

The dipper handle was conveniently facing Youji who was leaning on one of the flower stands. _Very perfect, I couldn't plan it better._

Aya jump hard and flipped landing neatly on the handle hard. Throwing the remaining water like a catapult drenching the source of offending smoke with a huge splash. Youji sputtered and started towards him menacingly. 

_Oops! It seemed like a good idea at the time…_

Aya didn't need a reminder to know how vulnerable he was in this form with a looming angry human towering him. He did a strategic retreat towards the register and Ken. 

"Youji! It's a fox. You can't expect it to know what it's doing! Besides you really shouldn't be smoking in the shop. Take that outside." Ken said as Aya hid behind him. Ken let out a bellow of laughter when Youji was out of sight. 

"Kawaii, Ayan-chan. Smart move, I see you don't like secondhand smoke anymore than your namesake, ne?" Ken ruffled Aya's ears as Aya let out his own foxy version of a grin, tongue lolling with his tiny mouth open, a pink triangle in the redness. The soccer smelled of clean sweat and a natural salty smell that Aya was coming to associate with humans in general. 

_Thank goodness…_

*** 

_A half hour later…_

Aya was on the floor where Ken had left him for the moment when he noticed that the begonias at the right of the shop were in need of watering. Omi missed them again on his way to school and forgot that he did so when he came back. Both Ken and Youji assumed that he had watered them and let them alone. He frowned at the omission, scrunching up his face oh so cutely as he thought. Then he noticed that the hose was propped up on the wall. It had been coiled neatly but not put away. 

_Oh well, maybe I could open it and water the plants… It'll help convince my teammates that I'm not what I look…_

Aya managed to grab the hose head on his mouth and get half across the room before remembering… 

_I got to turn on the water or else it'll take forever to get enough pressure to the water the plants._

Aya opened the hose head's water valve with his paw and lurched suddenly at the surprisingly strong whoosh of water. Maybe it was just the exception to every rule but in this case it wasn't, it was that someone had forgotten to close the faucet head since last night. 

_Uh…oh…I'm in trouble…_

He had barely time to think before the hose lurched one more time and he was lifted up by the strong stream of water jetting through the hose and carried pell-mell across the room. 

Ken and Youji floundered about the shop, trying to catch the hose head as the water flooded the entire shop. They caused more damage than the water itself, felling vases and flower stands and other items. The water level had reached catastrophic when Omi walked in from his deliveries and turned off the water from the source itself. 

"What a mess…Who left the hose open?" Omi said in his lecture voice. 

"Well it was Ayan who opened the hose head…" Youji said moving a little uneasily under the Weiß tactician accusing gaze. 

"Don't give me that! He's just a fox." 

"It was true, Omi-chan. I saw him too." Ken protested. 

"Hatchoo." Ayan sneezed, he had gotten wet in the ensuing flood and his fur stood out in miserable clumps. 

"Well, who left the faucet open? This mess wouldn't have happened if it wasn't open!" Omi said as he took a towel from the backroom without stopping his scolding. It was evident that he wasn't buying their story, no matter how true it was. 

"Um." 

"Er." 

"I think I'm going to close shop." 

"No me." 

Youji and Ken fell over themselves to escape Omi's critical gaze as the youngest member of Weiß toweled down the red furred bandit who caused all this. 

Ayan gave Ken a contrite look as he passed by the counter to give him a dagger look before going to the back to get rid of the damaged leaves and flowers. He came up to put his paws on the latter's shoulders and gave him a big lick. 

"Ayan, kawaii!" Omi said and even Ken cracked a smile at the demonstration of affection even if the fox was the current source of his trouble. 

*** 

_One hour later…_

"Hey anyone know where the shears are?" Omi was creating one of the few arrangements they managed to sell that day. 

Aya decided to sit this one out. It was bad enough that he caused a mess at the shop, he didn't want to get everyone to thinking he was a dumb animal. 

_But Youji and Ken are so hopeless…_

Both the other assassins were fumbling about in the shelves for the implement in question when Ran could see it easily enough from the stool he was "seated" on. The rest of Weiß found out quickly enough that he caused less trouble when they could keep an eye on him. 

_Yohoo! It's over there Kenken…_

Aya tried to point at the upper drawer, they had put on the table to rifle through, using his snout but to no effect. 

_Oh well, just this one time. Maybe, I'll convince them of my intelligence._

Aya gathered himself to somersault on to the worktable. He missed it completely. He hit the open drawer on the edge. For a heart stopping moment he dodged the shiny sharp implements that fell with him, whimpering with fright. Then it was over. 

_That was a close call…_

He felt himself being picked up and smelled that it was Ken who was feeling him over for injuries. He looked up to find see that Omi had been not so lucky. Some of the implements flew through the air to clatter at the other wall narrowly missing where Omi's head would have been. And one hadn't quite miss his teammate. It was, ironically, the shear concerned. It grazed Omi's arm, opening a long bloody wound. 

_I was only trying to help… _He whimpered. 

"It's okay Ayan-chan. No harm done…" Ken muttered soothing noises as he ruffled the red fur that was lying flat with fright. 

Youji was tending to Omi with a first aid kit from one of the other cabinets. Aya cuddled to Ken for comfort. 

_I guess I shouldn't try to be helpful in the shop anymore…_

**~tbc~**

**Author's Notes:**

Ayan: do you have to insist on using small and little to describe me all the time…You know I hate that silrayn-chan.   
Silrayn: You're so kawaii Ayan-chan, I couldn't resist. *wags tail and wiggles wolfy ears at Ayan kitsune-chan*   
Ayan: *bites Silrayn's tail*   
Silrayn: *runs around with a red fox firmly attached to her tail* ow, ow! 

*NEXT: fox-napped. See how Schwartz deals with the little fur ball… 

Youji, Omi and Ken: You want him? *referring to Ayan-chan* You can have him…   
Youji: hey, if we leave the kawaii killer for a week with Schwartz, we won't need to kill them anymore.   
Omi: Uh huh!   
Ken: *nods empathetically*   
  



	3. Bí: fox-napped

**III. fox-napped**

"Why do we need the damned fox?" 

Groggily, Aya woke up to the hated nasal voice raised in incredulous annoyance on a bouncy car seat. He had no idea how he got there the last thing he remembered was sitting on the couch in the Koneko basement… 

Aya sat on the couch, staring aimlessly at the television set. He had been left alone since the guys were all in a mission. They left the TV to "baby-sit" him, figuring that a bored Ayan might make a mess. Then suddenly he smelt something funny in the air, something faintly antiseptic and there was darkness. 

Now Aya was on an unidentified car crammed between two of Weiß most dangerous enemies. He craned his head to right to see his other seatmate and sighed in relief when he saw the dark blue-gray uniform. He didn't fancy having to sit beside the white-haired psycho in this rather helpless form. 

"Because the fox is important. Schuldich don't make me repeat myself for the third time." Crawford's voice came from the vague darkness that was probably the front seat of this car. 

"Why should you mind Schuldich? It's not like you're going to die with it living with us. It's so fluffy and kawaii." Nagi said, ruffling Aya's ears. 

"Who do you think has to take care of the little fluff ball? Crawford's allergic to fur, you know." 

"Killing cute things hurt God." Farfarello suggested in the front seat. 

"No, Farfarello." Crawford said in a firm voice. 

"Well if Schuldich doesn't want to take care of it then I will." Nagi said. 

"Of course, Schuldich will help you. You still have your studies and other responsibilities, Prodigy." Crawford ordered. 

Aya listened to all this with mixed relief and growing horror. Relief that he wasn't going to be left with the insane Irishman to be made mincemeat. Horror that he was going to have to live with Schwartz. 

_What am I getting dragged into…?_

But there were more immediate concerns, like, how to get out of this car ride in one piece. The movements of the car made Aya dizzy making him loll out his tongue and salivate. He decided to look at his erstwhile companions to distract himself from the way he felt and promptly smelled that vile cologne he had smelt on Youji. He sneezed. 

"Shit! Nagi get him away from me before I turn him into a coat." Schuldich cursed as the byproducts of Aya's sneeze hit him earning a quite chuckle from Nagi. 

_Figures that Schuldich and Youji have the same despicable taste in colognes…I have to very careful. I don't want them to figure out that I'm more than a dumb animal._

If the situation weren't so grave Aya would have laughed at the irony of it. He had tried so hard to convince his teammates that he was intelligent, now he had to turn that around and pretend he was no more than a fox. 

_A hard prospect with a telepath on their team but I have to do my best…_

Aya shuddered at the torture Schwartz could inflict on him in his current form. 

_I can't even escape them. Thinking of that it wouldn't be that hard after all… There's nothing like a good reason to beef up your acting skills…_

It wasn't long when they pulled into the gloom of a building's parking and got out. Nagi carried Aya under one arm with one arm supporting his behind as they took the elevator up to what presumably was Schwartz apartment for the moment. 

_Oh, this is frustrating…I'm finding out where they live, if I could only get the data to Weiß… But what could a little fox do? I can't even use the computer keyboard, my paws are too big…_

Then Aya recalled something from the car ride and smiled to himself. 

_Crawford's allergic to fur…_

These words rang in Aya's mind giving hope. He found himself remembering the time he choked on Youji's cigarette smoke at the shop and he found himself smiling, tongue lolling, he now knew what to do. 

*** 

"Aw, how cute! Looks you like he likes you, Oh-Mighty-Leader." Schuldich said chuckling as Ayan curled about Crawford's legs ecstatically. Schuldich hadn't liked being saddled with Ayan's care and decided to be very irritating indeed. 

_I can't read that dumb animal's thoughts on the subject but I bet it something like that cat thing. The thing that says cats take up residence on the lap of someone who doesn't like 'em because they like someone who doesn't meet their eye._

"Shut ub, Schuldig! And ged heb out ob here." Crawford as he sneezed in succession over his laptop. He made shooing motions in the direction of the office' door. His eyes were almost swelled shut in allergic reaction. 

"Aw, Crawford had a liddle fox. Liddle fox, liddle fox. Crawford had a liddle fox. Its fur as red as blood. And everywhere that Crawford went. Crawford went, Crawford went. Everywhere that Crawford went. The fox was sure to go." Schuldich sang out as Crawford stood up to move to the couch from where he was sitting, sneezing several times before getting there. 

Ayan stood up and gave a cute cat-like yawn slowly running his tiny tongue over his teeth and gums before following in that peculiarly dignified walk of his that amused Schuldich to no end. The way the fox walked was reminiscent of the cartoon mama cat's lecture in a Disney movie… 

_Hmm…what was that again…ah…Aristocats. Tail up without wagging and chin held high… Gee, he looks almost like a miniature Crawford. All dignity and no fun… I wonder if all foxes were like that, I mean, where do people get the impression that they were mischievous?_

"By the way why aren't you in your office chair?" Asked Schuldich as Crawford nearly jumped away just to get away from the fox that tried this time to curl up on his lap. 

"You knowd damned well bhy, that liddle thing sat on by legs untild I mobed." 

"And keep up moving…" Schuldich said taking the little fox off of Crawford before the American exploded, not that the precog could do anything violent at the moment. Well, anything violent to him. Schuldich was amused to see his boss have a violent sneezing fit, losing all dignity as he grabbed at a box of tissues. The American's eyes were watering and his nose seemed to be clogged up. 

_He must really be allergic to fur…hmm, I could have sworn there was a twinkle in those purple foxy eyes…nah, that couldn't be. It's just a dumb animal…_

*** 

Aya butted his head under Crawford's chin a bit before allowing Schuldich to take him out of the room and intentionally leaving fur to tide Crawford over his next surprise visit. He really enjoyed getting the rise of Crawford. Not that he'd ever gotten as much reaction when in his human form. Oracle was way too self-assured about his powers. 

_Another point for the little red fox… What am I thinking, I can't stay in this form forever…_

*** 

"Schuldich, take care of the fox, while I'm off to our prospective employer." Crawford ordered the German. 

"Awww, Crawfish, why me?" Schuldich had plans for the day. Big plans… 

"Because Nagi's got some research to do." 

"Why not Farfie? Or take him with you? After all he's taken a shine to you…" 

"The fox is vital to Schwartz' future. Can't risk him running off…" Crawford said annoyed at his avoidance of responsibility._ Besides, you're so allergic to fox fur that your eyes swell shut at the _idea_ of having Ayan in the same room._

"Okay, okay. I'll take care of it." Schuldich said waving his hand carelessly. Crawford glared suspiciously at the redhead but left soon after. 

*** 

"Are you sure you should leave Ayan all alone without anyone to tend him?" Nagi said asking Schuldich from his computer as he heard the German sneak out of the door. They had started calling the little fox a "he" for awhile since it definitely exhibited a certain personality. 

"Why not Naggles? You can look in on him to make sure nothing happens… Besides what could a little thing like Ayan-chan get up to in two hours?" Unfortunately for the telepath, there was no Weiß around to refute that statement. 

*** 

"…then I snuck out…I just couldn't pass the day without seeing you again, Yotan." 

"Well…better you guys than us. But are you sure you should have left the apartment to Nagi?" 

"You too, Kudou? First, Nagi then you, what is this worry about Ayan-fox day?" 

"Whatever you say…I just hope your apartment is still standing by the time you get there." Then Youji gasped as Schuldich' kisses lowered further and there were no room for thoughts above the moment. 

*** 

Aya walked down the hallway between the Schwartz members' bedrooms. Rather bored, he thought of taking a nap in his little basket bed since he hadn't Crawford to aggravate but decided against it. He had explored everything that first day to Crawford's chagrin since he shed fur all over the place and knew the placement of each and every bedroom. Schuldich had jokingly suggested that he bed down with Crawford that first time and gotten a fist on the face for his trouble. He never thought he'd miss Schwartz' company but there it was. He was passing Farfarello's room now. The psycho was in and so was Nagi but neither of them was in the mood to be bothered. Nagi because he had something to do on the computer and had absentmindedly locked his door while Farfarello…well, it was better not to think about that. 

Suddenly, there was a clicking sound and Aya looked up, hoping it was Nagi's door opening but it wasn't. It was the locks on the door of Farfarello's door that were clicking, clicking open. 

_Aw, hell…_

Somehow, Aya knew that it was him that was doing it. He tried to stop it, do anything to keep the locks from opening but he couldn't. Soon the door opened and the one-eyed psycho came out to grin at him with predatory interest. Aya turned tail and ran with all his might, making loud yipping noises as he did so. 

_Naoe I know you're busy but damn it, I hope you look up from your computer screen and hear me…_

*** 

Aya was panting behind an upturned chair wondering if he should make peace with whatever powers that be. He had been running for so long his entire body felt extremely hot and exhausted. His initial terror had gone to resignation. 

_I wonder if I'm going to turn into human or stay in this form if I die… Damned it, Ran don't give up just yet there's still some hope that Nagi would here the crashing or will come out for a drink of water or something… Look at you depending on a Schwartz for rescue, how the guys would laugh if they saw you, now. The invincible Fujimiya Ran cowering behind a piece of furniture…_

"Ah hah! There you are! I will kill you slowly and make God cry with your screams." Farfarello said and Aya started his hopeless running again. It was then when he saw the knife that was stuck on the wood where Farfarello had tried to stick into him. Half-stuck on the wood of the ruined coffee table. Their struggles had propped the thing up on a pile of its broken legs, the sharp end of the knife upright, it was also snapped in half to leave the knife only loosely attached to the wood. 

_Hmm that might do, got to time it just right…the angle has to properly calculated…tricky but what choice do I have…_

Aya found his moment when the winded Farfarello had stopped to get his breath. 

_This better work or I'm dead meat…_

Aya used the last of strength leaped up high and jumped on to the coffee table to send the knife flying… Then there was a meaty thud, a crash and silence. He closed his eyes and put up his paws to protect his head. After a few moments of not hearing or feeling anything, he opened his eyes to look at Farfarello who had a knife sticking up his chest just below the ribs. 

_It worked, it worked, I'm still alive…_

"Schuldich is that you… What a mess! How did Farfarello get out? Ayan-chan are you all right?" Nagi asked amazed at the extent of the damage. 

Aya ran up to the telekinetic to snuggle, trembling as he did so. Now that it was over his small furry legs felt like jelly and his tails drooped over with exhaustion. 

"Ne, it's okay now Ayan, I'm here…" Nagi said in reassurance as he felt him over for injuries. Nagi hauled Farfarello over with his powers and take the knife out of his chest to bandage the wound. 

_Now how to deal with my suddenly inconvenient powers…_

Aya sat down to watch Nagi work but for the life of him he couldn't figure out how the telekinetic controlled his powers. 

_This is not good…it may be that my only recourse is to have Schuldich find out I'm sentient. And I will not endanger Weiß by having to join Schwartz by default._

*** 

"Ch', who could have thought that Farfie and Ayan could make such a mess?" Schuldich said picking up all the tattered shreds of couch, pillow and newspaper strewn all over the Schwartz apartment. He was going to be in such big trouble when Crawford got back from the business meeting. All the couches were upset haphazardly scattered in no particular the living room. They had chunks taken out of them and springs and other things sticking out of them. 

"Well, I told you not to leave him untended but did you listen…But no…Farfarello got out and Ayan-chan nearly got filleted." Nagi said, coming out of his room to get a glass of water in the kitchen. 

"Nagi-chan, please help me with this." 

"You brought it on yourself. I've got work to do." The telekinetic said, definitely unsympathetic to Schuldich' plight as he went back in his room. 

_Good thing the little monster didn't get hurt or Crawford would have my head…He's going to get mad with me as it is… How did little Ayan manage to throw that knife especially right into Farfarello, I'll never know…? He's not so dumb as that for an animal…I guess. He's good at surviving that's for sure._

The little monster concerned picked up a goodly sized couch chunk swaying a bit as he did so against the weight. He then pitched it at Schuldich' hand. 

"Want to help with the mess clean-up, ne?" Schuldich said, giving in to the impulse to ruffle the little red ears. Even when Ayan was at the most aggravating, he was irresistible and Schuldich wasn't immune to the charm. It was hard to be an irredeemable bastard when clear purple eyes looked up at you in that cute way. 

_Well, as long as there's no one to watching*…I can be as mushy as I want._

"We make such a pair ne?" Schuldich said as he had Ayan toss the debris on a low box he had dragged in for the purpose. 

_Easily trainable, not too bad for an animal…_

*** 

Aya picked up another chunk of couch guiltily. He didn't mean to let Farfarello out of his cell. He was the direct cause of this mess. He didn't think he shouldn't leave Schuldich to clean it up all by himself. It wasn't fair even if the German was Schwartz. 

_Papa always said to tidy up after yourself and take responsibility over your actions…_

Schuldich ruffled his ears yet again with barely concealed affection and he leaned in to take comfort in the action. 

_Some days it pays to be kawaii…well, just _some _days…and only some of the time…_

*** 

Crawford was ignoring Aya again. The American had learned to keep a distance from him, almost instinctively flinching away when he got close. This irritated him to no end since annoying the Schwartz leader was his only amusement in this current situation. 

_Hmmm, I wonder…_

Aya looked up on the looming desk's width, contemplating the height differential to his own desk back at home. 

*** 

Crawford was sitting on the couch, typing away on the laptop that was on the armrest. He had retreated there when Ayan the fox had decided to curl up under his desk. 

_If it isn't going to be vital to Schwartz' future I'd shoot the damned animal and to hell with it…_

The little fluff ball seemed to have zeroed in on Crawford, as it's favorite person. It followed him wherever he went. He even had to chase the fox out of his bed at night to get some decent sleep! Schuldich was so beside himself with mirth. The Schwartz redhead had come to sing "Crawford has a Little Fox…" at least four times a day and would go on until Crawford lost his temper. 

Crawford seethed and wheezed in intervals as he typed. Suddenly, he sat up ramrod straight as he felt a vision come on. His sight swam into vertigo for a moment. 

_No surely it's not going to do that…oh, it's going to…_

Crawford stood up so abruptly that he had to catch the laptop to prevent it from crashing down to the floor. He dashed over to the side of the desk to try to grab at the little red fox_. Too late_. 

The fox leaped high onto the desk landing on the paper-laden surface to kick up the contents in a cloud of white. Its hind legs scrabbled for purchase on the slick tabletop putting the animal into an uncontrolled tailspin and then it was over as it begun. The yips turned into a loud yelp as the fox ran out of table to whirl in. 

Crawford went to the other side of the desk to look at the kitsune who had the most dumbfounded expression on his face. 

_He's not hurt. He couldn't be, sitting with that expression._

He couldn't help himself, a chuckle then a laugh ensued from his lips from sheer relief of finding the little thing unhurt. Soon he was laughing uproariously at the little fox that looked more stunned than pained. 

_How long have I had a good long laugh? Too long… It just a fox, you don't even have to hide your feelings in front of it._

The little fox shook his head so hard that his ears flapped. He wore the most offended expression the precognitive had ever seen. It made Crawford erupt into fresh gales of laughter. He let the laughter take the anger and the frustration he had harbored for so long. His heart so much lighter after the storm of mirth had passed. 

"You asked for that you know. Whatever were you thinking when you tried jumping on the desk." Crawford said in his best lecture voice at the fox as he picked up the pieces of paper. It wasn't coming over with any sort of affectivity however as he was also trying unsuccessfully to stifle chuckles. 

_Goodness, he's as huffy about his dignity as I am…_

Ayan just gave Crawford a disgusted look then curled up on the pile of papers he had landed on to pretend to be asleep. The precognitive ruffled its ears. The fox just covered its head with its tail. In a burst of spontaneity, he decided to do something he'd never done before. He held on to one of the tails to uncover one of the foxy ears and blew gently into it. Ayan looked at him startled. He decided to see how far the reaction would go. He let the tail go in favor of a paw and started to tickle it. The fox kicked itself out and threw itself onto the American to give him a big licking session... Crawford laughed and suddenly realized that he had stopped sneezing. 

_What do you know, the allergy was psychological…_

"Kawaii, Ayan-chan." Crawford said picking up all the paper and went back to his laptop with the little mischief-maker in his arms. He felt the fox for injuries then gave little thing a tummy rub. He then plopped Ayan on his lap where the little fox curled up to sleep as he typed. Crawford felt as close to contentment as he could remember since he had become the leader of Schwartz. 

_He's definitely a he not an it, Ayan definitely has a personality…_

*** 

Aya felt a strange sort of happiness at curling up on Crawford's lap. The opposing team leader smelled of unscented soap and mint after-shave. It blended with the man's masculine musk making a mix that Aya found soothing. He never thought the Schwartz leader would be a sport about the mess that he had made. To be honest, he thought that the American would've blown up or maybe even burst an artery. 

_He certainly blew up at Schuldich for the mess I caused the other day. But then, I didn't think he'd laugh at me either…_

Aya had been offended at first at being laughed at and decided to make the retrieval of the papers hard for Crawford. It really hurt to fall on his tails that way. He had plunged down head and forelegs first and had barely been able to twist onto his butt at the last minute. While landing on the tails was painful, landing on his head or foreleg might have caused a serious injury. He didn't miss the way Crawford had looked him over or the care the American had shown. Some part of it was his importance in Oracle's plans, but there was genuine liking in those brown eyes. 

Brown eyes, they reminded him of a certain teammate. He wondered how the rest of his team was doing at the moment. Did they miss him at all? Or did Manx assign a replacement for him already? He knew the guys certainly did not miss him in his current form since he had made such a mess of things at the shop. Aya uttered a quiet woof as he settled back down his position on Crawford's lap. He was gaining acceptance with Schwartz and as long as he had any use to the precog he had no doubt that he wasn't going to be allowed to leave. 

_Oh well, at least they treat me well enough…_

Aya had been fed the best meat in his short foxy life. His basket bed was comfortable and there were toys for him to chew and play with. Aside from Farfarello, Schwartz treated him well enough. Ruffling his ears and giving him whole body rubs. 

_I might as well stay, I have yet to learn to control my power, and observing Nagi at work is the only way I'm even going to have a clue as to how to control my own power_. 

Aya could not forget that one time when he had been alone and lonely in the apartment. He had managed to open the psycho's door without meaning to. He tried to keep himself from doing it but the power only continued to unlock all the bolts on the door until the deranged Irishman came out to try and make chopsuey of Aya. 

_Just try not to be too comfortable Ran…_

**~tbc~**

**Author's Notes:** This is now to be known unofficially as the "sneeze fic" look how many times the main characters sneeze in this fic. 

*Silrayn: You wish!   
Ayan: I don't count. Baka author, I'm a fox remember…   
Silrayn: not forever *wolfy grins at Schuldich, wagging her tail and wiggling wolfy ears rakishly* don't you want to ruffle my ears too?   
Schuldich: You wish! You're not as cute as Ayan here *ruffling Aya's ears one more time*   
Ayan: Wait till I'm in human form again…I'm going to chase you two with my katana. Ooh, I hate being called cute and you used the word "little" again, Silrayn-chan.   
Silrayn: Meep!   
Schuldich: I have a very good idea Silrayn-san, why don't you leave Ayan in his current form forever that way he doesn't chase us with his katana. Or if he does it will give us a laugh. *shows everyone a telepathic image of Ayan dragging his katana in his tiny mouth*   
Ayan: *whimpers*   
Silrayn: Now, now be nice to Aya-san…   
  



	4. Bí: the fox bride

**** ****

**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION ****

**IV. the fox bride**

"Schuldich, why don't we take Ayan for a walk. It's a nice day out." Nagi said Ayan absently as they both sat on the living room sofa. The fox had been with them for five days without any sign of Weiß. 

"No, thank you, got plans." Crawford was away again on one of his business meetings so Schuldich felt secure enough to visit his kitten. He hardly had time in between missions to do so. And he didn't really have much a choice in the matter. He knew they could only escape detection for so long. One day, Oracle's going to give an ultimatum and he honestly didn't know which side he would end up. 

"Fine then, I'll go out on my own with Ayan." Nagi huffed. 

"Have a nice walk." Schuldich said absently grabbing his jacket from the coat closet. 

"You know you don't have to sneak out to meet your Weiß kitten. Crawford doesn't mind as long as you don't flub any missions over him that is." 

Unnoticed, Aya made a queer choked off noises at that non sequitur. He looked adorably like a kitten choking on a hairball. 

_Who? When? How? Is there a traitor in Weiß…?_

"Huh!" Evidently, Aya wasn't the only one who found this series of events startling. 

"Schuldich, Crawford knows about you and Youji Kudou for months now." 

_Youji! Figures…it must be his scent I smelled out on Schuldich that first time… Well, he really couldn't be betraying Weiß if he was hiding it from Crawford besides we probably didn't have any secrets from Schuldich anyhow…_

Aya wasn't as angry as he thought he'd be. Funny, how a lot of things changed when you live with someone for awhile. The Schwartz were not the monsters he'd thought they were though they still had a long way to gain acceptance in his book. 

_But still, Schuldich and Youji…_

"I'm dead meat." 

"Don't be a dope. Why do you think Oracle plans it out so that you have space to maneuver every time we encounter Weiß?" 

"He does?" 

"Yes, he does. He doesn't really care as long as you remained effective." Nagi sighed. 

"Why did he never tell me?" 

"Why does Crawford do anything? Besides, you were too busy enjoying yourself playing Romeo to Youji's Juliet. He undoubtedly thought that you were enjoying the game too much to disabuse you of the notion." 

"I'm going to kill him. Months…I spent months sneaking around…and he knew!" Schuldich sputtered. 

"No, you're not. You're going to your lover." Nagi said in a calm, urbane tone. 

"Shit! You've ruined my fun." Schuldich said in a mercurial change of mood, pouting before slamming the door in his wake. 

_Oh well, I think I'll get use to that as I have gotten used to fox form, there's nothing I can't do about either anyhow… What am I thinking? I can't be resigned to being a pet for the rest of my life? Heck, think about that later…I have a walk to survive…_

*** 

Aya wandered among the plants that were just waist high to a human but towered over him. He had lost Nagi in the crowd of clumsy humans. Most were chronically stepping on his paws or on his tails, too busy or preoccupied with whatever they were doing to look down. He learned to avoid kids after the first few times when they deliberately cooed over him then yanked his tails or pinched his ears in unwitting cruelty. 

_Where are you, Nagi-kun?_

When Aya got out of the park, the stars were shining up in the sky and the sidewalks didn't have much in the way of pedestrians. The sidewalk a intimidating expanse before him 

_Which is the way home? And which home? This is my chance to return to the Koneko, I'll never get the opportunity again. If I can convince them of my sentience then they can find someone to change me back. I don't really want to stay this way forever. Schwartz may treat me fine this way but there's no telling what their reaction will be if they find out who I truly am…_

Aya felt a sinking feeling in the bottom of his tummy, which was also growling with hunger. 

_I might as well get started. It's such a long walk for small paws. If I remember correctly the Koneko is in direction… Let's worry about our welcome later._

*** 

"Prodigy, how could you lose him?" Crawford was really angry. He never used Nagi's code name otherwise nor would he ordinarily use clipped tones to address the youngest member of Schwartz. 

"Just that, Crawford. I took him for a walk in the park when a crowd of people came between us. I looked all over the park for him afterwards but I couldn't find him." Nagi was clearly miserable and trying to hide it. He really did like the little bundle of energy and was sorry to have lost it in the crowd. 

"Go back there and keep on looking, that fox is important to Schwartz' future. There's no telling what could happen to Ayan out there." 

"I'll try but it's already quite dark outside." 

"Get some flashlights. I'm going with you. Schuldich try to sense Ayan's thoughts. I know it's kind of hard to sense him since he's not human but…" 

"That's not why you're angry now is it? The fox maybe important to Schwartz but that's not what's gotten you all mad isn't it?" Schuldich said quietly, interrupting Crawford's tirade as Nagi went to get the necessary equipment. The silence stretched on until he wondered if Crawford was going to admit to it at all. They've all gotten quietly attached to the little fur ball. Though the fox stayed more often than not with the precognitive. 

_He always did sneeze with me around… I guess the fox is allergic to something I wore or maybe to cigarette smoke…_

"Aa, it isn't." Crawford admitted, as Nagi came back to the room carrying several flashlights. 

*** 

Aya was lost. He had gotten turned around and wasn't sure which alley was which. There was trash on this alley, piles of garbage. Beyond the decay was an appetizing smell of less than fresh but still edible meat. In normal circumstances, Aya would disdain digging through the trash for a tidbit to eat but these were far from normal. 

_How long do I have before anyone could feed me? Or when can I get home?_

He burrowed through the trash and almost turned his nose up at what he found. It was an unidentified piece of meat in indifferent sauce half-in a broken Styrofoam box. 

_Well beggars can't be choosy._

Aya wolfed the piece down and searched for more. 

He was digging through another garbage pile. When he heard a rumbling growl behind him and turned into the snarling jaws of a mastiff. 

_Uh…oh…_

More rumbling growls came from his sides. Frantic, he looked around to find himself surrounded by various sized dogs. All looked quite unfriendly. He ran with all his might into space between two dogs, jumping on a garbage can into relatively clear space. 

*** 

"Damned, we've searched the park several times but we still hadn't found him." Crawford said, brushing grass clippings off of his clothing. 

"He must have wandered off. Outside the park." Nagi panted as he walked. 

"Oh fucking great, like Tokyo isn't a big city." Schuldich reached out again with his mind. 

"It's not like he could go very far. He's got small legs after all." Crawford was blissfully ignorant about the chase with Farfarello. They had agreed not to tell their leader as angry as he was about the mess that the Irishman nearly filleted the little fox. 

"Oh, you'll be surprised at how much that small fox can get up to, but I think he might be lost. Small as he is." 

That was when they heard the clatter of garbage cans and the clamor of a dogfight. 

They looked at each other then ran towards the noise. 

*** 

Aya was cornered in between a wall, and several of the dogs were closing in. He growled his defiance. He might be tiny in comparison to all the dogs but he was an assassin and damned if he was going to go down without a fight. Then he saw a small opening in a broken garbage can with jagged metal edges. The hole was small and he knew it to be a tight fit even for him. He leaped into the hole painfully scraping his leg on the edge. He barely managed to get into the small space between the battered walls of the can. Whimpering he licked the big painful wound he had managed to acquire getting in the can, it was bleeding profusely. Several dogs took turns growling at him through the small space. 

_I need to get medical assistance soon or I'm going to die…painfully…_

Suddenly, shots rang into the snarls and there was silence. 

_What? Who?_

Then a familiar scent came through the myriad scents of the dirty alleyway, a welcome scent. Suddenly, the top of the can was taken off slowly. Weak moonlight came into dazzle Aya's eyes as he looked up. A hand came in to slowly encircle his middle then another came down to support his butt. Then he was lifted slowly up into the open. 

"Shit! He's wounded, badly." The profanity seemed so foreign coming from the classy Crawford that made Aya smile even through the pain. Then everything went black. 

*** 

"Don't give me that shit! You're a vet. You should treat all ani--" Schuldich pushed the dial tone savagely as he started to dial another number. He found in the past hour that finding a vet that would come to treat a wild animal at this time of the night daunting. 

Crawford had lifted the fox out of the garbage can carefully in consideration of Ayan's wound. He used Schuldich' bandana to stop the bleeding and they headed over to the nearest safe house. Schuldich had been assigned to find a vet to treat the fox while Crawford cleaned the wound and Nagi fetched things for the latter. 

"Dr. Kanzaki? Are you willing to go to this address to treat a very wounded fox?" 

"Hai. I'll get my kit ready." Dr. Kanzaki said in the other line. 

"Aa, let me pick you up to save time. I'll beep when I get there." Schuldich put the phone down. 

"I'll be going to pick up the vet." Schuldich told the two other assassins and got only grunts from both. 

*** 

Aya woke up fuzzily to the ministrations of Crawford wondering at the strange scent he couldn't place. It seemed to be human on the surface but there was a deep wild difference. He whimpered in fear. Crawford mumbled something in reassurance. The precog was blood spattered and smudged, no longer dapper in his suit. 

_Definitely worried over Ayan but then aren't we all…_

"Dr. Kanzaki, this is Ayan, our fox. He tangled with a pack of alley dogs and got scratched when he tried to escape into a broken garbage can." The latter stared at Ayan in such surprise that he wondered if Schuldich needed to modify this vet's memories afterwards. _Ah, the tails…_ Weiß and Schwartz were use to taking the odd in a stride in their work but this was a vet. 

"He's such a kawaii little one." Dr. Kanzaki said while opening his bag to get some of his instruments out. The vet was a middle aged man with black hair conservatively cut and eyes that were dreamily looking off into space. 

"Aa, he is." Schuldich wondered what he was getting at. 

_He isn't flustered by the tails?_

"I've treated one or two of this variety of fox but this is the cutest one I've ever seen." The doctor gave Schuldich a vague smile. 

*** 

_: Little one, don't be afraid. I'm just going to check you over. Thermometer in the rump, stethoscope…the usual thing. :_

_: Go right ahead, vet. Who are you? How can you know me? : _Aya could almost jump for joy at finding someone who could talk to him. 

_At last, someone who doesn't think I'm a dumb animal!_

_: My name is Iraka of the kitsune Thunder Clan. They call me Kanzaki Kaji in the human world. And you? What are you doing in the human world anyhow? You're so far from home: our home that is, the Mystical World that is here and not here. You're too young to be left on your own. :_

The doctor looked into his eyes with a small dim flashlight and Aya blinked. 

_: Fujimiya Ran, also called Aya. I have no other name. I was raised as a human then I woke up like this. :_ The dismay in his voice was apparent brushing the rest of it for later and bringing the more practical consideration to fore. 

_: Calm down, little one. It's part of our development to spend time in our real form. :_

_: This is our real form? Can I shift out of it? :_ Ran grimaced as Iraka-san pushed aside his tails to put a thermometer into his small foxy butt. 

_: You never had anyone to tell you about it don't you? You will be able to when you grow out of this phase…in fifty or so years from now. :_ The disgust in Aya's tone amused Iraka-san and it showed on his "voice". 

_: Ugh! :_ Aya wrinkled his cute button nose further amusing his fellow kitsune. 

_: Do you want to leave this bunch of loutish humans? I really don't have room right now for a kit but I'll… :_

_: Not if you just being charitable--never mind. : I have no intention of it being dependent on a person who pities me. At least, Weiß viewed me with amused tolerance._

_: No I'm not being charitable. You are a kitsune and clanless that is enough for me to take you in. I like you, too, from what I see of you, but a kit deserves a good home and this seems to be a good enough place until I can make you a den worthy of a kit. : _Iraka-san's sincerity was hard to find fault with. 

_: Nothing would be too bad, as long as a kit was loved. :_

_: That's what you think. Kitsune have kits all but never, kits should have a good life and not have to think about food or comfort. They should have all the toys they could play with and parks to roam in, besides love and affection of everyone around them. : _Iraka made a production of looking at his temperature. 

_: Well if that's what you think, but what do you mean kit? : _It was something that finally filtered into Aya's consciousness and feared the answer. 

_: You are how old, kit? : _The vet fumbled his stethoscope to hear his little patient's heartbeat. 

_: I'm all of twenty-three and not a kit! : _Aya said peevishly. 

_: Aye, twenty-three is very young for kitsune. Two hundred is the age of maturity and even then kits are only considered adults on their two-hundred-and-thirtieth birthday. :_

_: Oh no! :_

_: Oh yes, kitling. So stay or go. : _The vet was poking at his wound now, testing the stitches. 

_: Stay for awhile but I think I'll take you on your offer, twenty or so years from now. I'm so helpless in this form. : _Aya grimaced in pain at the poke but his mental voice never wavered. He was ever the practical one, he knew he couldn't very well survive in Tokyo without someone to care for him. 

_: Thank you for the honor, kit. :_ It might not be so bad to take up the offer since there was genuine reverence was in Iraka-san's voice._ But still…_

_: Are you really, really sure? : _Ran projected several of his escapades over to Iraka-san's mind in the soundless kitsune communication they've been using all this time. 

_: Very, very sure youngster. Those were just normal kitsune kit antics. I've done worse when I was that young. Still here's how to control your elemental and unlocking powers…and remember not to give your new human foster parents any trouble. They're only humans after all. :_

Ran caught the non-verbal teaching as the other kitsune stood up, refolding his stethoscope. 

_So I am not a freak and I will get out of this form. This is normal. On the downside, I'm stuck for it for who knows how long but now I've a friend to help me… Things are looking up…_

"He's very healthy, and whoever did the stitches did a solid job--er--" 

"Crawford." 

"Crawford-san. But he does need a flea bath, antibiotic pellets and tetanus shot. Shall I administer the shot now?" Iraka-san made a little bow. 

_: Ready for your immunity shot little one? :_

_: Hai. : _Aya said tensing in preparation for the needle. 

Crawford must have nodded an assent because Aya soon felt the American's hands over on his shoulders immobilizing him while a pinprick pierced his side. Then it was over just as it had began, Aya had barely had time for a pained yelp before it was over. 

"There, there…" Iraka-san patted his head and ruffled his ears. 

_: I think I'll have a hard time extracting you here anyhow, Crawford-san's giving me a glare for patting you. He really likes you, ne? :_

_: Hai, I think so. Though I wonder if he'll still like me if…he knew who I really am. :_

_: What do you mean by that? :_

_: We're assassins on opposing sides. : _Though it troubled Aya to trust so much, he felt that he could confide all of this to Iraka-san. 

_It's not like kitsune are truly part of the mundane world…he said it himself, we live in another world…_

_:Assassins! We'll have to continue this conversation tonight. Bai,bai, Ran-kit.:_

_: Bai, bai, Ira-tousan. :_

Ran knew from the proud happiness that lacing the final thoughts from Iraka-san that he said the right thing. There was also extreme surprise and worry that made Aya apprehensive. _What had he gotten himself into?_

*** 

That night, Aya didn't manage to talk to Iraka-san for Schwartz had driven back to their permanent apartment. Another complication was that Crawford decided to put his basket bed into the former's bedroom making it impossible for Aya to escape even if he knew where the other kitsune lived and could get there without mishaps. He didn't want the precognitive to worry about his disappearance in the event that he got out. The man was already too concerned about him as it was, carrying him about not allowing him to walk on his injured leg, feeding him his meat tidbits and medicine by hand and sponging him clean of the dirt he had acquired in the alley. Not to mention, tending his wounds earlier not caring how much of a mess it made of the American's clothes. 

_This is going to be a mite bit difficult…_

*** 

"Crawford, how are we going to get Ayan to bath? I think he doesn't like getting wet." Nagi said exasperated standing over the small doggie bath he had been trying to immerse Aya in without success. It had been two days since Aya had been injured and now they were trying to get him cleaned up properly. 

_Thanks but no thanks. I'm not getting my fur wet or my wound either…_

Aya knew he should let them but he still remembered how miserable it felt to get his fur wet and kept on hobbling away. Nagi, as he assumed, dared not force the issue for fear of re-opening his wound. 

"Do I have to do everything myself?" Crawford asked Nagi in a bored tone of voice. 

"Because, Ayan-chan likes you and he'll tolerate you more than us." It was a sore point with Nagi that the little fox would not curl up to him no matter how hard the telekinetic tried. 

Aya as usual was by the American's leg snuggling to the latter. Crawford bent down to draw eye level with him. 

"Ayan be a good fox and take a bath, hmmm?" Crawford asked him. Aya just splashed some water on the other's face, determinedly shaking his head until his ears flapped. 

"What will it take to make you take a bath?" Aya determinedly splashed some more water on Crawford making Schuldich laugh. The German leaned on the sliding door to the open-air terrace where Crawford, Nagi and Aya was. 

"I think the kawaii monster wants you to take a bath with him." Schuldich suggested. 

"Okay, it's a deal, Ayan." Crawford said, wiping the soapy water off of his face. 

_Maybe it wouldn't so bad if it was Crawford bathing me…_

Surprisingly, Crawford was most gentle of the three Schwartz members and the most affectionate of the Schwartz when unobserved. He bent again to nuzzle the red fox noggin to noggin, a familiarity Aya only allowed to the precognitive. Though Schuldich would ruffle Aya's fur and play, the German wasn't as patient with Aya's fumbles. The telepath was more likely to be exasperated and call the fox, a little monster, which Aya did appreciate. Nagi was gentle but absentminded, the telekinetic sometimes ended up pulling at Aya's fur and that hurt! 

"Oi, I'm jealous Ayan-chan. In all the time I've tried to get Bradley to take a bath with me and you succeed by splashing some water on his face." Schuldich said with a phony leer. 

"Schuldich!" 

"I know, I know. Ja, ne! I'm off to more exciting places." Schuldich said almost banging the sliding door on the sill. 

He carried Aya to the bathroom where the American stripped off his suit and folding it and placing onto a rack. 

Crawford brought down the adjustable showerhead to train a gentle spray of warm water on Aya. Carefully, the American had ruffled his fur a little to let the water seep in, he was very careful not to touch the site of the wound and let up every time Aya flinched the tiniest of flinches. He was very considerate and Aya sighed into the gentle soaping massage. His wound didn't really hurt all that much when Crawford was the one tending him. 

Aya looked up casually to see muscles glistening wet caressed by stray drops of water. A random thought teased at the edges of Aya's mind… 

_Crawford sure has a nice body… Hey, I'm a child I'm not suppose to think of such things…_

Aya looked away feeling as if his face was on fire. He had a feeling that his face would have been still red if he was human and not from fur either. But no matter how hard he tried to look away or to banish the image, he couldn't get the enticing image out of his mind. 

*** 

"Let's go to the park, Ayan?" Crawford said, hooking the rubbery leash onto Aya's doggie collar. He remembered all too well how Ayan had end up the last time the fox was taken for a walk and wasn't taking any chances. A safe house address was also on the doggie collar. 

Aya gave him a woof of assent and padded over to the door obediently. He had found the thought of being friends--and maybe even more--with Crawford less and less weird everyday. 

_There are worst things than being the spoiled pet of Schwartz I suppose._

For the nth time, Aya wondered about his teammates. 

_I wonder how Weiß is doing without me. Do they even miss "Ayan-chan" even just a bit? I know I caused them no end of trouble when I had been with them in fox form…_

*** 

"Ayan-chan?" Ken looked in disbelief down on Aya. Aya wagged his tail and gave soft woof in reply. 

Suddenly Aya found himself being swiftly lifted up with two arms holding him tightly close. 

*** 

"Hidaka." Crawford scooped up the fox and held it protectively over his chest, dirty paws and all without regard to his pristine white suit. He gave Ken a glare daring to challenge him over the ownership of the little fox. 

"Crawford, I should have known Schwartz would have something to do with Ayan's disappearance." 

"Well, Weiß you were hardly taking care of him. Tough luck, finders keepers, losers weepers." Crawford said, holding Ayan tightly, just in case the fox got any ideas of returning to his old owners. 

*** 

Aya just butted his head under Crawford's chin in an affectionate gesture meant to reassure. He made his decision to stay with Schwartz already though the American didn't know it and he couldn't very well tell him. 

*** 

"What sick game are you playing Schwartz? Taking a pet away from Weiß is hardly your style. Did you take his master too?" 

"Why don't you ask Kudou? He knew all along where the little fox was, you know. And what would we want Abyssinian for?" 

"Huh?" 

"Just ask him." Crawford said, silken malice evident on his voice. 

_Crawford!_

Aya knew that the American was feeling defensive about being caught with him and was feeling insecure about his affections and loyalty. 

_For who can be entirely certain about loyalty of an animal after all?_

Angry at his feelings, Crawford lashed out on the first available target and that was Weiß. 

He waved a paw at poor flabbergasted Ken as he was forcibly carried away from his former teammate. 

_Gomen, Ken, I've made my decision. You guys didn't really want me anyway, at least, Youji didn't, if he knew where I was and didn't try to retrieve me… Though I don't think Schwartz want me in my old form, I'll be stuck into this one for a good long time according to Iraka-san so I might as well stay with them… I wonder if anyone will be willing to accept me in both forms…_

Aya squirmed. Crawford's grip seemed too tight all of a sudden, making a tiny yipping noise in protest. 

"Too tight?" Crawford said finally, loosening his grip on him. Aya turned to face the American to give him more reassurance by the licking him and perhaps some reassurance in return. The precognitive finally let him down laughing as he did so, Aya noted that he didn't mind the tiny paw-prints and other fur smudges on his suit. 

_He really likes having me around… Will wonders never cease, he never lets his guard down this much even with his other teammates in Schwartz… Maybe…maybe…he'll like me even if…even if he knew the truth?_

Somehow, Aya couldn't help but hope that that was the case. 

*** 

Crawford sighed looking at the sleeping fox that cuddled at his midsection in ignorant bliss. Ayan was spread out with his paws and tails resting on Crawford like a second blanket, his head just above the blanket's edge. The fox presented such a pretty picture that Crawford hadn't the heart to move him though the precognitive thought it better to do so. Ever since after the fox's leg wound had healed up, Crawford had allowed the little fox to share his bed. The American himself lifted the little one up to the covers. 

It wasn't that Crawford disliked fox fur on the bed or had anymore difficulty breathing with the fox around. In fact, Crawford found Ayan's presence to be a comforting one. It was just that he had been having strange dreams that woke him wet and contented with his boxers in complete disarray sometimes taken off altogether. Dreams of a red-haired man with an indistinct face and…and…the light brush of several foxtails as they moved together towards completion. It was quite disconcerting. 

_What is this? Am I becoming a pervert now to want to copulate with a beast? Am I so lonely that I can't think of anyone else but Ayan to satisfy my lust?_

*** 

Schwartz was lounging about in the living room of their apartment. Nagi was doing his homework, Crawford was watching the news and Schuldich was annoying Crawford. It was a time in between missions. Ayan was leaning beside Schuldich since Crawford had stood up to get something to drink awhile back. The fox seemed so contented where it was that Crawford gritted his teeth biting down on his irrational jealousy. He swept Ayan up into his lap as soon as he sat down while the German smirked knowingly at him. Oblivious Ayan snuggled at his lap making his pants feel one size too small. 

_What kind of depraved monster am I becoming? And Ayan trusts me most of all… How can I still keep up this pretense…_

*** 

_Hands ghosting over him, body close to him straining under him…eyes glazed. Heat bursting out in a surfeit of pleasure…_

*** 

Aya sighed as he woke up beside Crawford. He had the same disturbing dream for a week now. Ever since the time he had taken that bath with Crawford he had been sneaking surreptitious glances over the man then two nights after, the dreams started. It didn't help that the precog slept half-naked in boxers, the firm abdomen was a nice place to snuggle and steady human heartbeat was comforting. 

_Heck, who am I fooling, I've been taking liberal advantage of the fact that he likes me snuggling up to him, every chance I get… I feel like a vixen in heat…_

AAya stretched and yawned, it felt so nice to rub his fur onto Crawford even if he couldn't really have him. He had long given up on wondering on how he could want the American since it made him think in circles. It was far better to enjoy the moment. Aya's eyes flew wide open, as he felt bare skin on skin. He looked down at himself and saw that he was naked and human. Not only that, he felt sticky and a bit sore.__

_No, we didn't! Well apparently we actually did. And there's the fact that you're one Weiß in with the Schwartz. What a time for me to become human again--in the middle of the Schwartz safe house--why me? Not to mention after um--molesting their leader…Now don't panic…_

Aya got over his surprise walked stealthily over to the mirror to examine himself. Except for the kitsune tails and ears, a normal red haired human stared back at him in confusion. 

_Well, at least Schwartz will be convinced that I'm their little Ayan-chan. No one can fake this! I hope Schuldich doesn't try to yank 'em off to see if the ears and tails are real though…_

**~TBC~**

**Author's Notes:**

*For those interested in the fairy tale I was talking about… it's the Chinese one that was made into an anime in 1959 (if I'm not mistaken). The anime that had a dancing Panda that says something like po-pon-ching-tai-to-neng-pung-ga-wa-pung. The things you remember when you're a kid -_-; 

*Another yyh doujinshi that inspired me for this fic is Tide/Real's Ore-Tachi no Bebi series, I really love Chibiko-chan. He's sooooooooooo cute. See what I'm talking about here: 

http://www.yyhdjs.com/general/day500/5day_01.html 

And yes, the little youko has an attitude… -_-; But then, I like Aya don't I? ^____^ 

Aya: I heard that! *tries to grab his katana*   
Silrayn: Hey, shouldn't you be trying to grab a towel or something instead. *pointedly not staring at the naked red head*   
Aya: writer no baka.   
Silrayn: yada, yada, yada. Don't you have anything else to say?   
Aya: >( And you say you like me!   
Silrayn: yes, i do that's why all my stories revolve around you.   
Aya: heh, who needs someone to hate me with you liking me.   
Silrayn: beee-da! *sticks out her tongue* 

*I'm going to discuss Weiß' reaction to Aya's disappearance later since Ayan is still with the Schwartz and the story's plot line revolves on that fact. 

**Reference for Kitsune Lore:**

Though I've modified several stuffies to fit the story, this is by far the most comprehensive online resource I've seen. 

www.comnet.ca/~foxtrot/kitsune/   
  



	5. Bí: in the doghouse

  


**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION 

**V. in the doghouse**

Aya was in deep thought as he sat on the couch of the Schwartz living room, every now and then his tails and nose would twitch. He was trying to change his form. He had resolved to tell Crawford about the sordid mess but had turned into a fox before he could wake the latter up. Now he was concentrating real hard trying to get back to that form. 

_I wished I had the time to ask Iraka-san on how to transform…_

He was so deep in thought that he jumped a little when he heard a screechy, unfamiliar voice near the door. 

"Kawaii! Can I play with him, Nagi." 

"I don't know about that Tot-chan, Crawford and Schuldich would have my hide if something happened to Ayan-chan." Nagi said in the background. 

_It figures it's the Schrient girl, the one Nagi's dating. So she survived._

"Pretty please. I'll be careful…" 

_Uh…oh…I hope he doesn't. He does…_

Nagi probably gave in because the next instant Aya found himself being swooped up into the air with his hind legs dangling ungracefully under the girl's arm. He inhaled and smelled a fruity-floral scent and his eyes and nose started to water. 

_I hate colognes. Can't anyone wear something hypoallergenic to kitsune?_

"We're going to play dress up with Rabbi-chan." The girl cooed at him, looking at him with dire purpose. Tot proceeded to put a doll-baby cap on his head pushing his ears back which made him yip that was painful. Then got a baby shirt to put on his forepaws. 

_Crawford, Nagi, Schuldich, anyone please help me!_

Aya began to yip desperately and struggle in the blue-haired girl's death grip. 

"Now, now--Ayan-chan, be a good fox." The girl said as she put on shorts on to his hind legs and tail. With a burst of movement, Aya finally got loose from the crazy girl and ran like never before in his short furry life. He stumbled a little on the baby doll clothes but managed to get into Crawford's room and under the bed. Once safe, he began to use snout and paw to get rid of the clothes. Tot peeped with big empty eyes at the edge of the bed, waiting no doubt for her new "playmate" to come out. 

_Not on your life…When I get in my real form, I'm going to give a piece of my mind to Nagi for that indignity._

Aya cowered under the bed waiting for the girl to go up and leave. 

_She's scary._

*** 

  
  
  
  


"Where's Ayan?" Crawford asked Nagi as he came into the living room, frowning at absence of the fox. The red fox always met him with a glad little bark when he came home, wagging his little tails even, well just a little, as much wagging as Ayan allowed them to. It was sweet. And Crawford was absurdly proud that he was the only one given this much of a greeting by Ayan. 

_Not that I should be so unhappy that he didn't greet me so. I'm getting too attached to him as it is…_

"Ayan's under your bed." Nagi shouted, busy on his desktop computer in his room. 

_Huh that's not right…_

Crawford went in to his room to kneel down and peer into the darkness under his bed. 

"Ayan-chan, I'm home." Crawford barely said the words when he found his arms filled with trembling fox that was desperately snuggling into him. 

"Nagi what did you do to Ayan?" Crawford asked as he brought the little red bundle to the living room. 

"Don't worry Ayan, I won't let anything hurt you." 

"Ummm." 

"What did you do to Ayan, he's still trembling…" Crawford accused Nagi as he put down the fox who had recovered enough to walk on its own. 

"I-let-Tot-play-with-him." 

"You let your deranged girlfriend play with Ayan-chan!" Crawford said, exploding as Ayan looked around the hallway cautiously before going to his litter box. 

"Well, she said, she'd be careful" 

"Evidently, she wasn't careful enough. The next time don't let that lunatic in. Why you date with her when you can do better is beyond me!" Crawford stormed off into the hallway to call for the usual take out. 

*** 

Nagi held his breath as Crawford spoke to him in the iciest tone he'd ever heard from the man. He wondered if the precog was going to "discipline" Nagi as he did Schuldich, that is by trying to beat on him. 

_He is certainly attached to Ayan-chan. I've never seen him in such a roaring snit…even in battle._

"Another order of tuna sashimi in addition to the usual…" 

At that, Nagi sighed. Crawford was concentrating on comforting the little fox with a fishy treat. The fox loved raw fish in hot sauce that would make any other creature including Nagi flinch at the blistering bite. 

"I always told you that that Schrient brat was scary, look at how she terrorized the kawaii monster." Schuldich teased as he leaned on Nagi's doorframe. 

_Oh great, Schuldich' brand of harassment…_

*** 

Crawford sighed as the fox finally settled down on his lap as he fed it the fish dipped in soy sauce and wasabe like he never had done since the little fox had been incapacitated. He really didn't like seeing Ayan so frightened. It made feel him extremely protective. But then, the little fox was so affectionate and loving towards him that he couldn't help feel affection back. 

_It's no wonder that I dream of Ayan. I do lo-- No, I'm not thinking of that. It's perverse--it's sick. It'll probably scare him away from you too…_

Crawford ran through his fingers over the soft fur, soothingly, it aroused not so innocent feelings in him that made him shiver. He resolved to find a lover to relieve his lust at the soonest possible moment. 

_This has to stop…_

*** 

Aya was toying with the little meat pieces on his little doggie bowl, wondering what happened to Crawford. There wasn't a mission or a business meeting but the American was nowhere in sight. It wasn't like the anal-retentive precog to be so out late when it's not business. Aya was worried. 

"Ayan's not eating. Do you think he's getting sick?" Nagi's wafted down from where he was sitting. 

"Nah, I think he's just worried of Crawford. Or at least as worried as a small furry animal can be." Schuldich said, there was a thoughtful quality to his voice as if he was trying very hard to read someone's mind. 

_I remember he can't read my mind very well in this form… One of the advantages of my situation, except that I want them to understand I'm sentient now…_

"Don't worry, little Ayan-chan. Crawford just went out for some fun, he will be back soon." Schuldich said as he knelt to put himself at eye-level with Aya. 

_"Went out for some fun"…he couldn't mean…_

Aya choked on a piece of meat at the thought. 

"Um, Nagi, do you know the Heimlich Maneuver on a small animal?" 

*** 

An hour later, Aya ran up to Crawford to greet him with his usual bark of welcome. But this time, he sniffed at the American first and stopped short. An alien musk was on the man, permeating precog's suit from within. 

_Schuldich is right…he went out to have some "fun", sexual fun, to be exact…I didn't quite believe it. Why would he when he has me for company? Every night…Am I that unsatisfactory a lover that he should take another? Besides doesn't he lo--Now be fair, he doesn't know that you're real…Even so…_

Aya knew that he didn't have the right to feel the hot hurt that welled up to fill his little heart but he couldn't help it. He glared up at Crawford and turned tail to walk stiffly to Schuldich' room to make a cute little face up at the German. 

_Can I sleep with you tonight, Schuldich-san?_

"It seemed that your little wife's miffed at you tonight, Crawford." Schuldich guffawed as he allowed Aya to snuggle up to him in the bed. He no longer wore the cologne that Aya found offensive since Crawford had told him not to, yesterday when it became obvious to the American that that was why Aya was always sneezing. 

*** 

_: What's wrong with Ayan? : _Crawford asked Schuldich mentally. 

_: I think he doesn't like the smell of a stranger on you or maybe he's like a small child. He knows enough that you might have found a new mate and wonders if you're going to abandon him. At least that's the initial impression I'm getting. He's very, very hard to read because he thinks kind of strange. : _Schuldich smirked. He had a fair idea what Crawford was thinking after catching the latter's discomfort over the "little wife" bit. 

_Caught you, so you have been fantasizing about furry sex… I never thought you hadn't it you, Braddy-boy, tsk, tsk, real kinky looking at the size differential between Ayan and you! Goes to show it's the quiet ones you really have to watch out for… So this little thing really is your wife, in a way and you don't like having him sleeping with the house slut. Hehehe._

_: Is that all? Maybe I should reassure him that I'm not leaving him. :_

_: You could try that but even if Ayan is intelligent for an animal there are some things that he can't comprehend. What your trying to do might be going outside his comprehension. : _In spite of Schuldich' amusement at the situation, he could find it in his heart to pity Crawford who was trying so hard to find a way to get the fox back into his bed without giving something inappropriate away. 

_This one's to even up the score about the "Youji thing" several times over…_

_: I still have to try. :_

_: It's your ball. Though I can't understand why you want to do that. :_

Brad tried to pick up the fox off the bed where it was lying sensually luxuriating in the feeling of emerald silk spread on velvet fur. The fox wriggled away from his hands several times and even gave a mighty twist when he managed to hold it for long. 

"Ayan…" Crawford said, crooning sweet nonsense to the kitsune trying to coax it. Ayan just twirled his tails into the precog's face and settled back into the bed. Exasperated, the American finally gave up and left. 

_This is going to be interesting…_

*** 

Crawford woke up irritable. Tonight was the second night Ayan had slept with Schuldich. He had tried unsuccessfully to get the fox to come back to him. The first night alone after an unsatisfactory sexual encounter with a red head in a motel, he had dreamed that his faceless lover standing over him with reproach in his purple eyes. Then Schuldich appearing, smirking as the foxy redhead walked off with him. The same dream came to him tonight but this time his imagination had tortured him with sexual images when he awoke in the middle of it. He decided that enough was enough. If this continued he'd be useless in missions. It was just an hour before predawn if he was quiet he could sneak into Schuldich' room to take Ayan out into his. He really missed the comforting furry presence. 

_Who are you kidding? You just want him back in your bed so that you can enjoy your illicit fantasies of him… Well, at least, I'm not Schuldich who will take advantage of the poor animal. Hah, Schuldich has his Weiß kitten he's hardly going to have sex fantasies with the little fox in them. He's safer with Schuldich…but I want him back!_

Crawford went stealthily over to Schuldich' door to open it slowly with the master key that he had. Carefully staying out of the doorway. His caution was rewarded when Schuldich came out of the room in a rush after a long moment. 

"Crawford, what the fuck? You gave me a scare." Schuldich said in a harsh whisper. 

"I want the fox back." Crawford said in the same volume. 

"Huh, you're obsessed." Schuldich said, eyes sleepy but alert. 

"Are you arguing with me?" 

"Not in this early in the a.m. I'm not. Let's talk in a decent hour of the morning. Ayan's stayed with me this long, he might as well stay till morning." 

"No I want him back in my bed, now, ASAP." 

"What bug's gotten in your bonnet? Okay, okay, take him out." Schuldich lead Crawford over to his silk-sheeted bed where the fox seemed to be blissfully stretched out, sleeping. 

*** 

Aya woke up when Schuldich shifted out to stand by the doorway that opened to the dimly lit hallway. He watched as Crawford and Schuldich argued in whispers about him with an eye barely open. He heard them reach a grudging agreement and approach the bed, he closed his eyes feigning sleep. 

_You think you can just get me back by just yanking me into your bed, you're sorely mistaken._

Just as soon as Aya heard Crawford get up on the bed to reach him, Aya rose up and jumped off the bed and scooted under it. 

"Ayan!" Crawford's muffled exclamation came in startlingly loud from above. Soon he saw the American peering at the side of the bed at him. 

"Hey Ayan! You're husband's already on his hands and knees begging you to come home." 

"Schuldich!" 

"Well it's true, isn't it? Besides I can't get any beauty sleep while you two have your lover's quarrel in my room. How about your own room?" Schuldich asked cattily. 

"Schuldich!" From the tone of Crawford, he seemed overwhelmed by embarrassment. 

That settled it despite the fact that Aya was annoyed with Crawford at the moment, he couldn't let Schuldich pick on his lo-- 

_I wasn't going to think that but I guess he is in a way. And I do lo--what am I saying, he's a member of the Schwartz!_

*** 

Aya had gotten out from under the bed to yap a couple of yaps at Schuldich before sitting down twitching his nose and tail in thought, looking mighty cute as he did so. Though not for long for Crawford swoop on the fox while he was exposed on the floor. 

"You know I sometimes think that that fox is more than he seems…like right now. I'm almost positive he was trying to think some things through." Schuldich said, thoughtfully probing along the edges of the fox' mind. 

"Ummm…" Crawford said as he was crooning and patting a squirming and yapping Ayan and only half-listening. 

"Yohoo! Earth to Crawford." 

"Huh." Crawford said as Ayan took advantage of his distraction and wiggled out of his grip to try and scoot under the bed again. The precog managed barely to block the way in. 

"Uh, don't look now, Crawford but something's happening to the kawaii monster." 

It was true something was happening, a black smoky glow surrounded Ayan engulfing him. Without a thought for consequences, Crawford jumped into the mess to take Ayan out of it only to be covered by the mist. Schuldich wondered if he should jump in too just as everything cleared and what was revealed made him almost faint with surprise. 

*** 

Aya was in mid-yap, scolding Crawford in his kit voice venting his annoyance when suddenly he felt strange. He didn't stop however and continued to yap, thinking it was his imagination. Then he felt Crawford's arms close around him and wondered what was the American up to now. 

"And furthermore…" _Hey that's my voice…my human voice_… Aya fell silent in surprise and he wasn't the only one. The sudden quiet echoed across the room. Then it was broken. 

"What's the racket all a--a--" 

_What a time for Nagi-kun to check out what's been happening around here…_

*** 

"…About?" Nagi finally finished his statement. The racket of thundering feet and loud voices coming from Schuldich' room had awakened him so he decided to investigate. What he found was startling but then being still somewhat sleepy, it had not filtered into his consciousness so had not rendered him speechless as it did the other occupants in the room. 

Sitting on the floor was a very naked Abyssinian very human except for foxy ears and foxy tails and on his lap was Crawford whose arms were wrapped around him. 

"I know that there must be some rational explanation for this. So tell me in the morning, ne?" Nagi said, fairly radiating embarrassment that no one needed to look to know that he must be blushing like a beet. He then beat a hasty retreat to his room and slammed the door behind him. 

*** 

"Shit, the kid's been hanging around you too long, Crawford. He's starting to sound like you. So what is this all about?" Schuldich finally said, being the first to get out of his surprise or maybe surprise wasn't the word for what the precog was feeling. 

_I bet he thinks he died and got into heaven or something… His lover's human or at least humanoid and he still gets the fur in the form of those tails…_

Schuldich thought with extreme amusement as Crawford froze in place. 

"Hn." Aya said, glaring at Schuldich. He didn't like his situation made fun of in this manner. 

"Fujimiya, how nice of you to drop by." 

"It was not my intention to amuse, I assure you." 

Crawford was still sitting dumbly on Aya's lap, eyes glazed over. 

_For once the great Oracle is at a loss for words…it goes to show that it does happen to the best of us sometimes…no one's infallible…_

*** 

"Crawford…we need to talk…" Aya said worriedly as the precog begun rouse out of his daze, nuzzling at him. 

"I think Crawford's not interested in talking, kid." Schuldich said guffawing even more, he was positively rolling on the floor with mirth. 

"Crawford?" Aya asked again, wondering what was wrong with the precog. 

_He should be surprised about this development and not so happy to see me…he should be asking questions, at the very least be worried. He should be concerned about our relationship or be upset. He should…_

"Talk later, call me Brad." Crawford said proceeding to trail kisses down Aya's chest. 

"What's wrong with you?" Aya asked, the American's odd behavior was starting to alarm him. 

"Ummm, Crawford could you take that elsewhere unless you want to make it a threesome." Schuldich leered. 

"Don't even think of it, Schuldich!" Crawford said in a muffled growl as he started to go lower and lower. 

"What's wrong with Crawford? Schuldich help me here…" Aya said uneasily turning to the only source of help in the room, moving a little away from Crawford's groping. 

"Why should I? Don't you like Crawford that way, your jealousy while you were Ayan-chan certainly seems to indicate so. Or do you remember being Ayan at all?" Schuldich said still chortling under his breath. 

"That's not the point. Crawford's not behaving the way he should. Something is wrong here." 

"I said call me Brad! And stop speaking to Schuldich!" Crawford growled again, this time there was a rumbling menace of accusation in his voice. He didn't like Aya's distancing tactics at all. 

"No, Cr--Brad, I haven't been 'with' anyone but you." Aya said in a tone meant to reassure. 

"Don't look at me, kid. This isn't my doing." 

"Just check him out then." Aya said giving the annoying telepath a death glare. 

"Schuldich!" Crawford was definitely pissed off as he stood up and turned, advancing on the German in rage. 

"Brad." Aya said when it was obvious that the man was out of control. 

Crawford turned to Aya, forgetting Schuldich. 

_: Probe him now! : _Aya sent to the telepath as he turned to run, tails waving unintentionally seductively behind him. 

"I get it now. You want to play hard to get." Crawford said, starting after the Weiß redhead. 

_: Aa. : _Schuldich replied in the same way. 

_: Ummm, kid, he seems to be out of it with lust. Go along with him or be dragged. As a matter of curiosity, were you actually sleeping with him in this form before? : _Schuldich said after a while. 

_: I think so. :_ Aya said in a breathy reply as he allowed Crawford to corner him in their dubiously shared bed. 

*** 

_: You think so? : _Schuldich asked a moment later when there seems to be no answer forthcoming. 

_: I know I'll probably regret telling this to you… But I didn't know I could shift out of fox form…or I would have tried…uh…to get home to the Koneko much harder. It seemed like a weird wet dream…but I found out otherwise when I woke in the middle of it…Shifted back to fox form though before I could wake up Crawford to talk. : _Aya's "voice" was uneven and coming in spurts whatever Crawford was doing to him it was disrupting his concentration. 

_Disrupting his concentration might be the understatement of the year, the man must be fucking his brains out…judging from those auras coming with his mental message…woohoo, didn't think Crawford had it in him…_

_: Why not? Don't you like our company? :_

_: You like Ayan-chan, not Aya the Abyssinian. :_

_: Well if you're the furball then we could make room for you. Judging from Crawfish's reaction, we'll need to. Wait'll I tell Youji about this! :_

_: Do that and I'll tell him about you and me sleeping together. :_

_: We didn't! Did we? : _Schuldich felt a sudden near panic at this. 

_Youji'll kill me, if Crawford doesn't get to me first…and I wouldn't know what's more painful._

_: Not in the making love sort of sense…no.:_

_: Thank goodness. What are you going to do about Crawfish? :_

_: I try to talk to him in the morning...using pen and paper if I have to. :_

_: Good idea. :_

_Good God, Crawford and Aya, together… This situation is so surreal!_

Schuldich laughed quietly to sleep in his bed, blessedly alone at last. 

**~TBC~**

**Author's Notes:**

There will be no lemons in this fanfiction. Not now not ever. I don't think it needs any. Though that was a close call. ^^; 


	6. Bí: perillous heritage

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**Kitsune Bí**   
**WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION**

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**VI. perilous heritage**

Aya felt really strange, staring at Crawford like this. He had hated and fought Schwartz for so long, it seemed odd to feel this way about one of them. 

_But what do you really feel for me, Crawford? Do you think that I'm just a convenient sex partner or does your affection for "Ayan" extend to me? And is it more than a man's tolerant affection for a pet? I don't intend to be loved like some animal…besides is this bestiality on his part, a perverse fantasy? There are so many things I want to say…and ask…_

Suddenly the room begun to spin around Aya and he seemed falling… 

_What is this all about now?_

*** 

When Aya came to, he was in kitsune form and in a forest glade. Sunlight gently filtered through the leaves of the unfamiliar trees proclaiming the time to be at least midmorning to noon. He whimpered reflexively, feeling bereft. He didn't know how to survive in a forest much less in kitsune form. 

_What is this place? Something tells me I'm no longer in the human world… Is this what Iraka-san called the Mystical Realm? The true home of the kitsune? How did I get here? More importantly, how do I get back home to Brad?_

Suddenly he heard a rush of leaves heading his direction. 

_What to do? What to do?_

Aya settled on jumping into the bush and hoping whatever was making the noise wouldn't find him or at least didn't have a taste for tender kitsune kit meat. 

_: Kit, what are doing all alone? : _Asked a voice in Aya's mind, almost making him jump in surprise. It was a kitsune voice unlike Iraka-san's, it had a tinge of black coming with its bass timbre but still unmistakably kitsune. 

_: I don't know. : _Aya replied in the same manner. 

_: Are you lost? Where are your parents? :_

_: I don't know, I think I'm an orphan. I live in the human world but I somehow gotten here. :_

_: Your powers must be active then, kit. :_ A sable fox head, at least three times the size of Aya's, popped close to Aya, making him jump a little. It startled him more to be given a good lick. 

_: Welcome home then youngling. Welcome to nogitsune clan lands, where you belong. : _Brown eyes sparkled at him. 

_: Nogitsune? :_

_: Yes, kit, nogitsune. For all you look like you are born to the Fire clan, you have nogitsune blood or else you wouldn't have homed into our territory with your powers. Welcome home. :_

_: How do I go back to the human lands? : _Aya knew that he should take a strong stand but he couldn't help sounding plaintive. As it was, he was having a hard time not to whine to emphasize his point. 

_: You must at least see the sights and meet someone of the clan. By the way, my name is Yasn and you are? :_

_: Ran. :_

_: That is a human name. : _The kitsune's tone implied that it wasn't good enough. 

_: My foster family gave me that name. : _Aya said neutrally enough but his hackles were starting to rise. He didn't like this fox-spirit at all. 

_He's not at all like Iraka-san… He doesn't feel "right". But he won't teach me how to go back maybe there's someone else of the clan who might…_

_: Okay, I'll come with you. :_

Aya tried to stand up but was startled when he found himself rising off the ground. He realized that he had been picked up by the other kitsune, he felt the gentle pressure on his ruff. 

_: It's too long a walk for small paws and short legs. So I'm going to carry you. :_

_: Thank you. :_ Aya said politely enough but inwardly seethed. 

_Why does he assume that I want to have his help? And I am not that little!_

The wind and leaves rushed at his fur as he dangled from the other's secure grip. It wasn't at all like a human's and it was odd. 

_I guess it should be an instinctive thing to enjoy being carried like this…_

A flash of blurry memory came to him, of red fur, a loving voice and a scent. 

_Who was it? Was it my mother or my father? And why did they leave me in the human world to be adopted by humans? Not that I doubt that who left me with my "parents" loved me, I'm sure that he knew that they would love me as their own. Or did they?_

That was what Aya said to himself, reassuring himself of his parents' love though in his mind there was lingering doubt. A doubt that was there since Iraka had told him about his heritage, he admitted. Nothing in his current life had reminded him and there never was a time when it was practical to contemplate this. He had problems enough with Crawford and other members of Schwartz but now… Now that he was here, he might as well try to find out about his parents and his past. As he was carried along, he knew that whatever he would find would not be pleasant yet he still hoped. 

*** 

Aya was apprehensive, the trip had been strangely exhilarating after he had gotten used to the oddness of being carried by the ruff but the fox-den now loomed ahead and he wondered what reception he was going to get from his kin. He wasn't the proper fox as Yasn confirmed by the latter's behavior. He didn't belong here. He never belonged here. 

_: This is the den of the pack of Aresh, they are of a high and noble rank in the Void Clan. Be welcome to stay as long as you'd like, Ran-kit. A kit is always welcome to any kitsune hearth. :_

_: Arigatou. Is there a way for me to find out who my parents were? : _Aya bristled at the Void kitsune's presumption at calling him Ran-kit. It annoyed him that there was a subtle condescension in the other's mind voice. 

_: Aye, there is. I think I know who your parents were, Ran-kit. But it is better to confirm it through blood-scry before we jump to conclusions. There has been only one known Fire-Void mating in the past fifty years but it is better to be sure. :_

_: Blood-scry? :_

_: It is when a prospective family member is contacted and then put to a magical test. Luckily the kitsune I have in mind lives quite close by. He's in the next Clan pack den, he should be here in three hours if you want to. :_

_: I want to. :_

_: And so it will be done. I will have them send the message. :_

*** 

Aya sat on his soft silky bed in his spacious room in the kitsune den, wondering what Schwartz were doing at the moment. The den was built of gray stone with spiral designs on the walls to soften the austerity of the color. Its rooms were filled with foxes every shade of black, all determined to make Aya feel at home. All of the adults were so welcoming, giving him licks, affectionate ruffling, tumbling, cleaning, picking him up to ask him where he was heading so that he didn't tire his small paws, and generally treating him like another kit but he felt uneasy. It wasn't what he was accustomed to. He wanted hugs, pats and snuggling, all of which were human gestures of affection. He wasn't going to get them. 

_I am really not a proper fox…I don't belong here. I belong with Crawford and Schuldich and Nagi and…and Farfarello…_

The small red fox curled up on the bed to whine plaintively where no one could see him. 

_I want to go home…_

*** 

_: Ran-kit, he's here. We can do the blood-scrying now if you want. : _Kizie, one of the females of the Aresh pack, said. Ran liked her better than Yasn, she had the kindest brown eyes and smelled of clean air and brush besides her identifying musk, a hunting vixen of Aresh with five tails. Though it did annoy Aya that she and the rest of the pack females kept bringing him to one of the lactating mothers in an effort to make him suckle. 

_I am not a baby. I don't need any milk, thank you!_

_: I'll be right there, Kizie-baasan. :_ Aya said, bounding out of the soft nest. 

_At last something will get done…_

None of them really knew what to make of Aya. He was a kit yet he didn't fit in with the rest of the kits. He had too much human adult experience but didn't even know the basics of being kitsune. Everyone however was adamant that he learn of his kin-roots and Clan lands before going back to the human world and thus didn't want to teach him how to use his power to get back to the human world_._

_What a bother… Hmm, I wonder how they're going to take my relationship to Crawford. Something tells me that is something I should keep to myself…_

_: Here we are, youngling, just beyond the second corridor to the left. And… Good luck. : _Kizie said hesitantly. 

_: Kizie-baasan, what's bothering you? :_ Aya said asked cocking his head cutely in what had become his primary weapon to get truthfulness out of the adult kitsune. They, it seemed, were even less immune to his cutesy expressions than even Schwartz or Weiß. He got away with more things than the other kits. Not that he hanged around with the other kits as much as he did the adults. They were of limited interest and more inclined towards minor tricks and games, in short, true children in mind as well as body whereas he, he was only a child in body. 

_Not a child, not in the true sense of the word at all… I have seen too much, done too much, killed too much to be as innocent as they are. A fledgling can't be put back in the shell nor an assassin return to being a newborn babe no matter what others may think of him._

_: I don't like your possible cousin that's all. I almost wish that… Oh, never mind me. :_

_: What do you mean by that? :_

_: He…he's twisted. Oh, I know I shouldn't be talking ill about kin…and one with higher breeding than I descended directly from the Lady herself but…they say the blood is tainted and he… Just take care, little one. : _Without warning he found himself staring into Kizie's concerned eyes and found himself sprawled on his tummy being groomed. 

_: There go ahead and meet Shan-sama. : _Kizie said giving him a nudge with her snout in the right direction. 

Surprisingly, the corridor widened and heightened into a man-sized hallway. Aya walked it suddenly feeling more comfortable. This was what he was used to. He came to a wide circular room where two humanoid figures were standing. One was a fox-headed man, which he barely recognized as the Aresh pack leader by his scent, and the other? The other was a stranger with his back turned to Aya. 

_Must be my would-be cousin, the one Kizie-baasan was so wary of…_

Aya carefully padded into the room unnoticed for the moment. He wanted to study the kitsune that was going to claim kinship to him. The fox-spirit had chosen to wear the form that was more human than the other with as little fur as Aya could distinguish from his back, only ears and tails. 

_What is he trying to pull? Does he think that I'll be more accepting with him if he wore that shape…? Well, it's not working…_

Then the "man" turned to give him a small smile and Aya's breath caught. 

_Crawford, here? No…_

Aya smothered his bark of welcome and gave the fox-spirit another long look in the face and saw the difference a slight set in the eyes and lips or maybe an small variance in the angle of the nose or cheekbones. 

_No, but he certainly looks like him… Is this deliberate or coincidence?_

*** 

Meanwhile in the Schwartz household, it was just after noon when Crawford came out of his room. 

"Feeling peppy today. Nothing like a good fuck and some rest, eh Crawford?" Schuldich said Crawford came out of his bedroom. 

"What are you talking about Schuldich?" Crawford retorted, wondering what the telepath was up to. 

_Does he know that I've been fantasizing about Ayan for more than a week now?_

"Congratulations but how do you think to integrate Aya into our daily routine, when he's human that is." 

"Huh, what are you talking about." Crawford remembered getting the fox after a long struggle into his room. He remembered chasing down his dream lover who seemed more interested in Schuldich and showing the redhead who the latter should pay attention to. He didn't know what Schuldich was talking about. 

"Crawford don't you remember at all?" 

"Remember what?" 

"Ayan turning into Fujimiya Aya in the middle of my room. You were chasing him, not listening to reason, I might add. He wanted to talk but you couldn't wait to get him into the nearest bed and fuck him into exhaustion." 

"I did?" Crawford said on the beginnings of a blush. 

_Oh my…if those dreams are real…_

"You are pulling my leg…" The precog said, firmly controlling the urge to strangle the telepath. 

_What's his game? Is he trying to make me admit my unnatural infatuation? Then he's out of luck. I have no intention of letting Ayan be taken away from me because of it. Last night was…incredible… And I know now that there is no way I'm going to let Ayan get away from me… We have but a short time together, he and I since foxes have shorter life spans than humans. I have no intention of wasting even a moment of it._

"No, I'm not. You can ask Nagi. Speaking of Ayan, where is the devious sex kitten? It just occurred to me to congratulate him on seducing you so thoroughly." Schuldich asked, rather leered. 

"He's not at my room, probably at his extra litter box…" Crawford said faintly. 

"Nagi, is what Schuldich saying true?" Crawford asked as he saw the telekinetic come in for a late lunch. It was Saturday so unusual at might have seemed, the boy had probably slept in. 

"What's he saying?" 

"A, a--about Ayan." 

"Well, I don't' really know but last night…this morning actually, I heard you people make so much noise in Schuldich' room that I went to investigate. When I came in the room I saw you on the lap of a bewildered Aya who had foxy ears and foxy tails…a naked Aya. I thought you needed privacy so I went back to my room to sleep so I don't know anymore." 

Crawford groaned. 

_On some days it doesn't pay to wake up…So it wasn't a dream… Well, at least I know I'm not going insane. But what does Aya think of me now. Schuldich said I chased him around without listening at all to what he said. Does he actually come to me on his free will or just because he's stuck in Schwartz territory? If he only transforms at night and only infrequently he might have been coerced into pandering to my lusts. Does he even think of me with affection or with practicality that I protect him from the rest? Oh, maybe not that. He snuggles enough to me, so I guess the question must be if he feels the way I do about him, not just fuck buddies…_

Crawford's train of thought was interrupted when Schuldich came crashing back into the kitchen. 

"Ayan's not here is he?" Schuldich said panting. 

"No why? His breakfast's untouched and he always licks it clean if he was here." 

"Then he's not anywhere inside the apartment. I even checked under the beds." 

"He's what?" Crawford was finding this hard to believe. 

_Maybe he thought I just wanted him as a whore after all I just chased him around instead of listening to him…_

"Maybe he decided to leave--" Crawford said again, sounding less commanding than usual. He knew he should be angry about this turn of events. 

_There's Ayan deceiving me, sleeping with me. And there are the messes he created before… But all in all I can only find it in me to be relieved… Well, relieved if we can find him…_

"He wouldn't do that, not before he gave you a piece of his mind. He wanted to talk to you. He said he was going to have a long Talk with the capital T about your relationship. With paper and pen if he wasn't in human form. He was very earnest about it. Whatever happened, it isn't intentional." 

"So could it be Weiß?" Nagi suggested while munching on a piece of toast. 

"Impossible, there's no sign of tampering of any kind. Besides if they had the ability to sneak in here like that, would we still be alive?" 

Crawford was lost in his thoughts, but he listened with half an ear to both Nagi and Schuldich. 

_Why didn't have I have a damned vision about this…Ayan's important to me and I didn't see what's happened…_

"So who do you suggest?" 

"The vet. You two were so preoccupied with Ayan that night that you didn't notice that he wasn't at all fazed by Ayan's appearance. He has also said that he's treated similar patients but Ayan was the cutest of the breed. And I wouldn't say that magic was involved with Ayan's disappearance but after seeing Ayan transform like that I'd say that nothing is impossible." 

"We go to collect that vet right now." Crawford said rising out of his seat. 

"Aa." Schuldich said bounding up to join Crawford before he got out of the door. 

*** 

"Hello, kitling. I am Shan, and you are?" The strange fox-spirit asked in a baritone voice speaking in Japanese. 

"My name is Ran." Aya said as he took human form in a rush dark mist. Aya's distrust of Shan was magnified by the latter's resemblance to his lover. He resolved not to give more information if he could help it. 

_If my powers allowed it that is… They seem to be erratic at best._

"Hmm, you aren't suppose to be able to transform yet." The amazed amusement in Shan's tone wasn't at all condescending. He seemed to genuinely enjoy being surprised by his precocious cousin-to-be. 

"I know." Aya said, quietly. 

"Your eyes and something of the way you carry yourself are like Aunt Reshka but shall we be sure?" 

"Aa." 

"Then let's begin." 

The Aresh pack leader started to chant and dark mist began to rise out of the circle. 

*** 

Warded by mist from his cousin's sight, Shan smiled smugly. 

_Soon very soon, you are truly the son of your mother to be so beautiful. So lovely…_

*** 

"Dr. Kanzaki, you're coming with us." Crawford said after a girl with a cat left. 

"What's the hurry, Crawford-san?" Dr. Kanzaki asked, his vague eyes suddenly sharper than they usually were. 

"We need to ask question about our fox, Doc." Schuldich said unpleasantly. 

"What about?" 

"We'll talk about it when we get there." 

"Okay, gentlemen, let me take my kit along then we'll be off." The doctor took out a small case and joined them as they came into Schuldich' Porsche. 

"Now Doc, who are you really and what do you know of our Ayan?" Schuldich asked as they sat in the living room of the deserted safe house. It was the same one they had used on the night of Ayan's injury. 

"Why do you ask?" The veterinarian asked coolly, looking fearlessly at Schuldich. 

"Because Ayan has disappeared." Crawford said out of turn. 

"Shit! Crawford we're suppose to interrogate him, not give him any information." Schuldich said tensing from where he sprawled at the couch. 

"Cool it, for all we know of psychic phenomena, this is far beyond what we know. I don't think we have a choice but to trust the good doctor." Crawford said. 

"Your boss talks great sense." The doctor said calmly. 

"Boss, he's not my boss." Schuldich said sputtering. Crawford could see that the German was trying to dissimulate about Schwartz and failing. 

"What do you know about us?" 

"You're an assassin group and your opponent is Weiß. Ran-kit was or is a member of Weiß. He ended up as a pet of your group. I had a talk with 'Ayan' or should I say Ran." 

"How did you talk with him? And how can you?" 

"While I was treating him, I can talk to him because I…" A glowing blue crackling mist covered Doctor Kanzaki. 

"…Am a kitsune myself." A blue fox-headed, fox-furred humanoid sat in front of them. 

"Holy shit! I see it but I can't believe it." Schuldich said. 

"Why is it that Ayan doesn't have a fox head or fox fur when he transforms to human form?" Crawford asked quite unfazed. 

"Remarkable, he managed to shapeshift? Because he probably thinks himself more human than most kitsune, since he's been raised here but let's not babble about things like that, sitting here. Where did he disappear from, can you take me there, so I can sniff around for clues of what happened." The fox-man said, fading back into his human form. 

"O--okay." Crawford said. 

"You may blindfold me if you wish." Dr. Kanzaki said, graciously. So that's what they did as they brought him back to the car. 

"So what happened before Ran-kit disappeared?" The doctor asked as he and Crawford sat in the back of the car as Schuldich drove. 

"Um--we--by the way, why do you call him Ran-kit?" Crawford said. He was rather embarrassed about what he and Aya was doing, not that he'd minded now that he knew that Ayan was sentient but still. There was some embarrassment left over from when he thought of the feeling as a perverse sort of bestiality. 

"Because he is a kitsune kit, a child really. A kitsune reaches maturity at two hundred and becomes an adult at two hundred and thirty. He's only twenty-three." 

"Oh wow, from bestiality to shotakon*. This is so not your day, Crawford." Schuldich said, snickering so hard he had to stop the car for a moment or risk having an accident. 

"What does he mean by that?" The doctor's tone was now rising with suspicion. 

"Um--er--" 

_I will not strangle him…he's a valuable member of my team…I will not strangle him…_

"What does he mean by that, Crawford-_san_?" Dr. Kanzaki was really suspicious and angry, now. 

"Um--I sleep with Ayan. He shapeshifts and we…" 

"They've been boinking each other for almost every night for about--what--over a week now." 

"Hentai!" The doctor bopped Crawford over the head with his case and started to lecture him about his reprehensible behavior. 

*** 

In the 'Realm, Aya was feeling uncomfortable where he sat on his confirmed cousin's lap. His cousin had put him there to cuddle him in the human way. He wore his small furry form. The blood-scrying had been an unqualified success. It proved, without a doubt, that Aya and the one called Shan were cousins. Half first cousins, Aya was the son of the latter's half-aunt, Reshka and her husband Luren. Now he was receiving instruction on the use of his powers. 

"…Elemental power that you may have from your father's Clan. Void kitsune also known as nogitsune have powers of illusion and have the powers to entrance another being. All kitsune have this powers in truth but we've bred for it throughout the centuries." 

_: We have what? :_ Aya barely kept his voice even. He really didn't trust this cousin especially when he finally cornered Kizie to find from her the truth of her suspicions. Shan was the son of the clan chief Alshe. Shan's father was responsible for Aya's parents deaths. He had killed them for ambition, for power. 

_Just like Takatori did with my foster parents…but this--this was doubly damning. He is my uncle. My mother was his sister, half-sister, but still. And kitsune don't kill for anything but food and defense… My poor father, he must have been desperate to leave me with humans…_

Another fact that made Aya kept much of his human life a secret to his kitsune kin. He had felt Kizie's revulsion of that act and was glad he had chosen not to divulge much of his past to the Clan when he first met them. 

_They won't like me anymore… They'll be revolted like any decent being would be…not that I blame them, killing another sentient being isn't right…_

"We have powers to control the mind. Humans as well as lower beings are susceptible to it. It was useful trait to have if you intend to spend some time in the human world." 

_: Have you spent some time in the human world? :_ Aya asked, he needed time to absorb the implications of this particular development. 

_Does this mean that I…that Crawford…that I… I have to be certain._

"Aa. That's how I acquired this fourth form. I spent twenty years in the human world." 

_: So how does that work? And how does the subject behave? :_

"First of all you need to meet their eyes or they have to be staring at your tails…" 

_That sounds uncomfortably like the time Crawford brought me to bath. We had met eye to eye for a one long instant as he nuzzled me…_

"Then reach out to grab control of their mind. It doesn't even have to be conscious action on our part. Then we enter their dreams and after a while reality and illusion blend together and they don't know which is which, if you don't let them." 

_I'm so sorry Crawford. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't know… So--so his loving is just an illusion as much as I want it to be true. He doesn't care for me in that way. I probably created it out of my own needs… I forced him into it as much as if I held a gun to his back and raped him. I'm so sorry…_

"There are some people who can break that sort of thing though like monks or those who dabble in arcane arts. Here in the Mystical Realm our illusions have the solidity of reality, this den for example was made by several kitsune minds who joined to form it and anchor it to reality. After that the illusion has a life of it's own and can't be broken except in the ordinary way of matter. We kitsune are in demand as builders here for that reason. Some of our philosophers think sometimes think that the 'Realm is pure illusion." 

Aya listened indifferently to the rest of Shan's explanation, heart broken and depressed, even the practice afterwards didn't seem as interesting as it could have been. Along with illusion creating, He had learned to gate that afternoon but had no place to go. 

_I don't know if Crawford would want me back at all… No one really wants me, not Weiß, not Schwartz, not even the Clan…can I ever find a place that I truly belong…?_

*** 

"We're here." Crawford said as he helped the doctor out of the car, glad that the ride was over and the doctor had to concentrate on moving up to their apartment blindfolded and had nothing to spare to continue his scolding. 

_What a not lecture… Gee…I feel like a dirty old man caught groping young boys… Well, I was but it wasn't as if I had much choice in it, it was my unconscious mind…yeah, kid yourself…_

"So what happened before Ran-kit disappeared. Don't bother about the 'boinking part'." Dr. Kanzaki said, anger was still in his voice about that part. They were sitting on the apartment sofa with the good doctor still blindfolded. 

_He's scary when he's mad…_

"Well, we had a sort of quarrel with him avoiding me. He went to Schuldich' room to sleep. I couldn't take it not having him with me so on the second night I went to retrieve, really tried to. Schuldich, you continue, my recollection of that night is fuzzy afterwards." 

"Well, Ayan was covered with this black glowing mist, then he was transformed into his usual bastard self only with foxy ears and tails. Bare assed too. Crawford had tried to take Ayan out of the mist. He ended up on Fujimiya's lap hugging the man with a glazed expression on his face. He wouldn't listen to reason started chasing the foxy-guy around, not that I wouldn't have done it looking as gorgeous as he did naked with those swishing foxy tails behind him--" 

"Schuldich!" There was a warning growl in Crawford's voice and he didn't want to hide it. 

_Aya's mine, never mind the fact that he's underage, never mind that he's not wholly human. He's mine… And I thought that I was going to outlive him, when he's going to outlive me, what irony…_

"Black mist--are you sure it was black mist? Black, not red?" 

"Very sure." 

"Are you sure? There's something wrong there…" 

"I said I'm fucking sure. I mean it." 

"But he's from the fire clan or at least some of his powers are. Bring me to the place where you saw this happen. You don't have to take the blindfold off either." 

They walked over to Schuldich' room and Crawford and Schuldich stood by the door as the doctor went straight to the place where Aya sitting when the last night's extraordinary events had occurred. 

"Hmmm, the scent's not fire at least not pure fire. By The Lady, it fits. It all fits." The doctor mumbled to himself. 

"What fits?" Crawford asked, glad to have something to think about, other than his obsession with one kitsune man. 

"All this… I should have known. Ran-kit is the surviving kit of Reshka and Luren. His powers seem to fit the mold for any child of that tragic union." 

"What do you mean by that?" 

"Well about over twenty years ago, there was a scandal in the Void Clan. You'd call them nogitsune. The then clan chief, Alshe, had gotten his position from the abdication of his half-sister, Princess Reshka, who decided to enter the Inari Temple as a novice, several hundred years before. The kitsune priestesses of Inari are not celibate though they are virtuous. The princess at that time had fallen in love with a Fire Clan kitsune by the name of Luren and married him. They had a litter of kits whose claim to the clan chiefdom was enhanced by Luren's connection to the chief of the Fire Clan. Luren was a Prince in his own right, though far from the Fire Clan succession. When the clan chief heard this he flew into an insane rage and had hounded both Reshka and Luren to their deaths. It was rumored that all their kits had died with them. It was a great scandal because no kitsune would kill another unless in the gravest self-defense or in the defense of a kit. The chief lost much of his prestige and barely kept his title. Luren didn't want to start a war so he went into the human world to hide and brought one kit with him, I think Ran is that kit." 

"So what does this all mean…" Crawford said in frustration. 

"It means that you may be excused somewhat from sleeping with the kit. Mind control is one of the powers of kitsune and a signature of the Void Clan because they actively bred for the trait. Does he return your feelings?" 

"I think so since he could have literally incinerated me if he's got pyrokinetic abilities as you seem to say." Crawford said. 

"So you mean little Ayan controlled his sugar-daddy here?" Schuldich asked, amused at the thought of the most repressed Weiß member could be doing something so sexual as to seduce his opposite number in his bed. 

"Not completely, Ran is young and not the type to control another being…?" 

Crawford nodded at the questioning note in the vet's voice. Aya certainly wasn't the type, honorable in ways that he had considered foolish and in a way, secretly admired though it would have embarrassed him more than a little to admit before. The Weiß redhead wouldn't stoop to such a thing unless he didn't know it. 

_Not that it would embarrass me now, I think I used up my quota of shame in this escapade… Sleeping with a youngster even if it was partially his fault…_

"He's probably reading cues from Crawford-san's needs and wanting to please him, unconsciously. I doubt much that he didn't hold any bit of affection for Crawford-san. He was, from my brief acquaintance of him, an affectionate and loving kit. There is also that he has been raised by humans and thinks himself as one of you until recently. That's probably prompted this unusual development. Kitsune gifts are erratic when the owner doesn't know the first thing about controlling them. They tend to respond to impulsive desires rather than the will. Besides, does he have any family living?" 

"One but he fears to contaminate her with his bloody deeds. Though they were done in the name of her survival." Crawford replied. 

"Well there is that. Kitsune are kin-bound, we like to make families when we have none." 

_So it's my fault in a way that he started to grow up before his time… And he does love me in his own way, unfortunately it might have been just a juvenile infatuation. They seem to be a long-lived race. I should just give him up… Let him find someone of his kind, who will not die so easily as me…but I want him and he has all but given himself to me…I am a selfish bastard but that's what I've always been and have no need or desire to change that… We have but a short time when it compares to what he has but I think I must make the best of it. But will you feel the same when you are old and he is still young, strong, and, most importantly, virile? What will you do when he wants to play and you are too old…? No, I will not think of that… I want him and he wants me now, that's all that matters…_

"This is all very interesting but it's not getting us anywhere." Schuldich said, exasperated. 

"Bring me to the last location you saw the kit. I think the last piece of this puzzle will answer that question." 

They walked out to Crawford's room. 

"He went to the Mystical Realm. His powers are maturing too fast. I haven't trained him for this since it should have developed when he's in his hundreds. He probably is on Void Clan grounds, right now." 

"Why the Void Clan grounds?" Crawford asked. 

"Because he used Void based powers to 'gate without control. This is not good. The politics in the Void Clan has been unstable since Princess Reshka's death. There was an ambitious prince, son of Alshe, Shan. He used the incident to foment subtle rebellion, there was also the faction that supported the princess' mother who is still alive, a faction that was created because they think the Chief Alshe and all his blood is unstable…. Each of the rebelling factions, all say that they have the nogitsune clan's interest in mind but the ambitious nature of the folk within each faction have somewhat their own agendas. Some no doubt will benefit the clan but ambition is…ambition. If Ran walks in all innocence into that…" 

"Each faction would try to use him. The chief would probably have him executed before he could be used against him…Better the others to find him…" 

"There is that. I have to take a look-see though this would be strictly clandestine. I shouldn't be wandering about another clan's lands but I feel responsible for the kit. Be right back." The doctor took off the blindfold and put it in his pocket and a snap was gone in a whiff of blue mist. 

*** 

"Ran-kit, you seem to be depressed since that afternoon when you learned to control your powers. Why is that?" Shan said, ruffling his fur in the human way. 

_: It's nothing… :_   
  


"Do you know that you are too mature for your age?" Shan said after a long time of silence, mental and otherwise. 

_: Aa. :_

"I loved your mother, Reshka, like the mother that I didn't have." Somehow it didn't ring true to Aya's trained instincts. Something in the tone was wrong. 

_: So… :_

"We're only half-cousins not full ones. We could mate you know." 

_: What? :_

"This is a proposal, silly kit. I want to 'marry' you, as humans would say. I want to protect you. I want to love you, not as a brother or a cousin. I want to have the right to see all your mischief, and help you out of them. I'll wait for you to grow up and we can be full mates. What do you say?" 

_: Is it just ambition? Or do you feel sorry for the orphan kit? :_

_: No. I really think that you would make me a mate. About the other things, you are the heir to chiefdom. You can't escape that responsibility that will come in time. Besides, I care not at all for it. I'll rather see you happy and help you through whatever problems that's going to come. :_

_: You don't even know me. :_

_: I know enough. :_

Aya met his cousin's eyes and what he saw there greatly tempted him for a moment. But only for a moment, through the genuine care and affection shone a darker light that nibbled at the edges of recognition. It made him shiver with apprehension. 

_It is certainly not ambition but it's not purely affection either but…what choice do I have?_

_: Hai. I accept. :_

*** 

It took the doctor half a day to return and when he did he looked every bit careworn. 

"It's worse than I thought." The doctor said tails drooping. He lacked the energy to even change into fully human form and sat in fox-man form. 

"What happened?" Crawford said, his impatience was plain in his tone. 

*** 

"Alshe's son gained great support trying to oust his father from the chieftain position because of his aunt's death. He seems to have little ambition, he just wants vengeance for kin-blood shed or so he says. Whispers say that he had incestuous feelings for his half-aunt Reshka and would willingly support the accession of any surviving cousin of that line. Both his faction and the one that supports the accession of untainted blood are the strongest parties right now in Void lands. There is a talk of alliance between them and that could only mean one thing. One or the other faction has Ran. Since he is sexually mature and underage at the same time, his half-cousin Shan would probably take him as his mate. Ran does have his mother's purple eyes and bearing. I know this because I've seen the priestess Reshka in ceremony. The shrine she served in was on the border of the Thunder and Void Clan lands. And Shan was completely obsessed with his half-aunt or so my informant says and I deem him reliable." 

"Over my dead body, Aya is mine!" Crawford said it so loudly that it was almost a shout. 

"Well, I can't contest that and you can't since you're human." 

"What do you mean by that! I can't let Aya be used like that." 

"Are you really sure about that? You are not kitsune and can't fight with our powers." Dr. Kanzaki asked quietly. 

"What do you mean by that?" Crawford asked. 

"To contest the mating, you must fight Shan and win. You can't even go to the 'Realm." 

"Is there anything I can do? I just can't sit here and do nothing. It's partially my fault anyhow." Crawford said almost pleadingly. 

"Can it Crawford, we've come to the point that we can't help Ayan. That's it." Schuldich said. 

_I don't want Aya to be mated to a stranger. I don't want my Ayan-chan to be used as a pawn in the game… He's too nice for that. There's one part of him despite his assassin background that was untouched by all that. The innocent kit that bloomed under the affection that people can't help bestow on him. I love him too much for that..._

"There is a way…but it would mean a sacrifice on your part." The vet said slowly. 

"What sacrifice?" Crawford asked. 

"Are you willing to risk the wrath of a god to be with Ran?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"We could intercede with either Inari or the Lady for their aid as proper kitsune would but you are not kitsune therefore a price will be paid." 

"I'm willing to try." 

"Willing or not. There is no in between." 

"Willing." Crawford said, wondering what he was getting into but determined to do whatever it took to keep his Ayan. 

"That's something." Dr. Kanzaki said. 

"So which god do we petition?" 

" I suggest the Lady, she who is mother to all kitsune, the ten-thousand-tailed goddess. It makes most sense since Ayan is but a kit. The Lady is particularly concerned with kits." 

"How do we petition her?" 

"Just look into my eyes, I'll trance us there, to the place where the Lady resides. Every kitsune can get there, even the least of my brethren, it is our birthright." 

"Alright." Crawford said, looking into the eyes of the doctor. 

"On the count of three. One…two…three!" There was rush of light and the peculiar smoky-blue of the doctor's eyes had melted into milky white marble of a throne standing in a void of stars. 

"Iraka-child, why have you brought a human here of all places?" A musical, tinkling voice said, insubstantial but filling the space nonetheless with its power. The presence on the throne was awe-inspiring for all she seemed to be a tiny thing, all tails, ears and hair with a human pointed face and eyes of feral green. She wore a filmy kimono of a thousand colors. 

"He wishes to ask you a boon, Mother." 

"What is it?" 

"It concerns the welfare of a kit." 

"Ran." 

"Hai." 

"Is he mute then that you have to speak for him?" The Lady said disdainfully. 

"I am not, your Grace. But it seemed discourteous, since I have not been introduced to you." Crawford said, bowing a little as he did so. 

"He is at least polite." The fox-woman laughed a lovely sound that lingered in the air like winter frost. 

"Then does he please you?" 

"The question is not if he pleases me but will he be good for the kit. Better than Shan." The Lady said, gravely. 

"Ran loves me and I, him. I'm willing to take good care of him." Crawford said. 

"Aa, but a kit doesn't always love wisely nor do you understand what you are speaking of. Are you willing to be patient with him when he is being a kit? Kits can be more troublesome than human cubs, your teammates have so far sheltered you from his other misdemeanors." 

"I've seen enough. I want him, mischief and all." 

"And when he asks you not to kill, will you bear that? In the fullness of time, his nature will manifest and kitsune do not kill except for food and defense, and even the last is a regretful duty." 

"I am willing to turn to another profession." 

"And about your mortal life? Will you leave him bereft after a few piddling years? Shan can offer him much, much more. An eternity of ease, rank and wealth and what can you offer him? You will not even see him grow into adulthood. How can you claim to love him?" The contempt in the voice buffeted Crawford with its strength. 

"I--no one knows what life may bring, even I who can see the future. Shan can be killed tomorrow or the next day, besides he only loves the reflection of Reshka he sees in Ran. All I can offer are all of my tomorrows and the love that I have for him." 

"Well said, human, you have mettle. Now let us see if you can endure what you have unknowingly asked for." 

Streams of light came from the woman's hands towards Crawford. He reminded himself to stand still as they came close to him, encircling him. He couldn't run at this juncture, besides where would he run in this not-place. They engulfed and for a timeless instant there was only pain, burning pain, turning his body inside out. Then it was over and he was amazed to see that he was still standing in place, stock-still, but this time he felt the swish of tails behind him. He smelled the strangeness of the place as well as see and heard, distant unknown music. He twitched his new ears as at an effort to discern more, furry ears. 

"Well done, Brad-child. From this day forth you are no longer human but kitsune. And since it was Iraka who had brought you here, he shall be responsible for you and your actions. He and his clan at any rate, I have made you a five-tail of the Thunder Clan, you will need all the abilities of those five tails to keep up with a rambunctious and powerful kit such as Ran. Fare well till we meet again, New One." 

"Hai, Mother." Crawford said, simultaneously as Dr. Kanzaki whose real name he now knew to be Iraka. It seemed so right yet so wrong. The not-place faded into the reality of the Schwartz living room. 

_It's not the answer I thought I was asking for, but maybe it's the answer I needed. It's certainly the only one I'm going to get…_

*** 

"…Shit! Is that still you, Crawford? You think funny now and those tails and ears!" Schuldich exclaimed. 

"It's still me." Crawford said shakily, he was starting to wonder what he had gotten himself into. 

_I thought when she asked me all those questions she was going to bring Ayan back here none the worse for the adventure but instead…_

"The Gods don't work that way. They left us with free will, therefore will not intervene directly. We take full responsibility for our actions." Dr. Kanzaki, no, Iraka said and Crawford wasn't even aware that he had been using kitsune-speak. 

"You did not have to say it. It was plain on your face. You have much to learn and so little time to learn it. The mating is set ten days from now, on the rising of the full moon." Iraka said as Crawford shot him a questioning look. 

"So when do we start?" 

"I'd rather not have the humans listen in. The first safe house would be acceptable provided that this one does not pry. He seems to have the curiosity of one of our kind. One wonders why Ran-kit did not choose him instead." The only thing that saved Iraka from being shot right there and there was that the latter's voice held a teasing quality to it. That and two other things… 

_I will not try to kill my new Clan-mate…kitsune don't kill…I will not try to kill my new Clan-mate… kitsune don't kill…_

"Go off with your Weiß kitten for a few days, Schuldich. Don't tell him anything about this." 

"Aw! Okay, just tell me what's in your vision that made us get Ayan-chan out in the first place and it's a deal. Come on, there's nothing I can do at this late a date about it." 

Crawford sighed. Schuldich is insufferable at times. 

"Tell." 

"We kidnapped Ayan-chan because I had a vague vision of fire connected to him, the vision was rather unclear, us burning or otherwise. I chose caution. It was inexplicable then, but I guess in the light of Aya's powers, it is rational." 

"Hai. I guess Weiß would have figured it in time and used him against us, ne?" 

"Not Weiß. Kritiker." 

"Hai. Bye!" Schuldich said as he bounded off to his assignation with his Weiß kitten. 

"Not that your vision would have been clear Brad-san, kitsune are demi-gods and are a bit apart from human fates. It's a part of our nature a gift from our goddess-mother, as unlocking locks is a gift from Inari-sama the Trickster. Though I dare say your vision gift might not work for humans now that you are kitsune. It is the nature of the gift to see the fate of your own kind. Did I deduce it right that you are a Seer?" Iraka-san interjected as soon as Schuldich was out of hearing range. 

"Hai." 

"It might be useful in your confrontation with Shan…" 

**~TBC~**


	7. Bí: devil's bargain

**Acknowledgements: **Thanks to Jacque-san for the attack of the plot bunnies. 

Silrayn: *pops plot bunnies from in between her ears, bunnies hop mad all over the place* 

Aya-kitsune, Brad-kitsune, Iraka-kitsune: *chases the plot-bunnies* 

Silrayn: wait! *tries to catch the foxes who end up very plump from an excess of bunny meat* Oh well *starts to whip up ribbons to deck the foxes who are too full to try to escape* 

Aya-kitsune: *belches at Silrayn's face* 

Silrayn: *cringes at the bad breath* Ayan, you need to brush your teeth!   


  


**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION 

**VII. devil's bargain**

"Ran has what?" Manx exclaimed as she heard from Birman. 

"It seemed he has been missing for more than a week since the last mission. Though it's not unusual for him to disappear. Remember when Schreint had Aya-chan, he also did so. Aya broods." Birman said, puzzled at Manx' question. Manx hastily put on a less concerned face for her underling. She cursed herself for not paying personal attention_, what am I going to tell Luren about this?_

"What has the boys told you of what happened?" Manx said, reasserting her logical side. 

"The boys reported nothing unusual. What are you going to do about it now?" 

"I'm going to see about finding our errant agent, of course." 

"He's just probably brooding but I see your point. We didn't really hear anything from him before he disappeared. Good hunting." 

"Point. Thank you." 

"Do you need anyone to be told about Aya's disappearance?" 

"No, I'll handle it myself." 

Birman gave Manx a salute and left, closing the door behind her. 

_Where have you gotten yourself off to now, kit?_

*** 

"Botan, sit down." Manx said up to the pacing agent who was plainly agitated. 

_: Luren calm down. It's not even certain if some harm has befallen Ran-kit. :_

"How could this happen now, Manx? Schwartz is almost gone out of our sphere. Estet is gone. Hardly anyone had the power to oppose Weiß. We made sure of that. I wished we had pulled him out. It might have been much of a shock but I didn't think…" Botan said, even his human voice sounded panicky. 

_: Marika give me permission to track him down. Please, he is the only thing I've left of my Reshka. :_

_: What if the nogitsune on your trail follow you to him or worse yet find him before you do? What, then? :_

_: I think I may have already lost them. I certainly haven't seen them for a year or so, maybe two. I wouldn't have dared that brief contact with Ran before if I hadn't been reasonably sure. :_

_: You trusted that I would care for him. :_

_: And look at where you got him. Into Kritiker, into Weiß… :_

_: He was already into killing Luren. You can't deny the need in him or the anger. He's become more human than kitsune. Though he does have kitsune needs. :_

_: Marika, why did you get him involved in this? You could have redirected the rage. Taught him about his kitsune heritage instead? :_

_: You know why, Luren. Brother, he's got rage in him. Human rage, not kitsune, he found out how to kill all by himself. He was an assassin before Kritiker found him. We only help calm him and give him purpose, more purpose than what he has found. I put him in Weiß so that he can have a pack, a family. Besides it's not as if they're kitsune. : _The disregard in Marika, a.k.a. Manx' voice was like that of most kitsune surprised Luren. Humans were humans; killing them were like the killing of prey easily accomplished and no more mourned but he expected more sentiment from someone who fell in love with one. 

_: How can you say that when you loved Shuuichi of the Takatori Clan? And maybe so, but you could have turned Ran. Couldn't you? :_

_Ran was raised as a human he shouldn't be as disregarding of human life as that._

_: Shuuichi was different, he wasn't your average human. And to answer your other questions, not really, no. Your Ran's a headstrong kit and he's convinced he's not a child, and I think he's right. You know that you took a chance when you gave him to humans to raise. :_

_: They're barbarians. :_

_: Aa, but what's done is done. No real way to undo it is there? :_

_: Hai. So I'll go to the Koneko to see if I can pick up the trail? :_

_: If you wish. Though I do hope you know what you're doing. :_

_: So do I, sister, so do I.: _Botan sighed as he shimmered back to his red kitsune form. 

_I'm coming kit, hold on…_

*** 

_I can't figure this out. Ran's not suppose to be able to transform for about fifty years…_

But the evidence was there unmistakable to his nose. 

_Ran-kit managed to transform into kitsune form, how could he? He shouldn't be able to shift forms all by himself. He's too damned young to be doing that sort of thing. But then growing up among humans…_

The thought was not finished as Luren started to track the kit's scent where it stopped on the couch and the familiar scent assaulted his nose. A scent he had smelled only once and never again. 

_Schwartz…if they've harmed my kit…_

*** 

Luren began to track the scent but it disappeared on the street. Unlike his fellow kitsune, Iraka, he had other means and ways of tracking Ran-kit and so decided to use it. Urgent as his need was, he would have used all that was in his power to find the kit. He pulled insistently on the glimmer of the kit-parent bond until he reached the place where it disappeared into a gate energy signature. 

_Oh, Ran-kit what have you gotten yourself into now…you've managed to gate yourself to the Void Clan Lands… I knew I shouldn't have left you alone, nor should I have let Marika take charge of you for so long. Practical as my sister is, she still has these blind spots…_

Lost in his thoughts, Luren barely registered another presence, a human one, was coming into the room. 

"Ayan, you're back!" 

_Ah the young one, Nagi Naoe._ Luren thought as he jumped out of the window into the waiting tree. 

"Ayan? Crawford's been worrying himself sick over you!" The dark haired Japanese youth asked peering out the window. 

_It seems the kit's made a friend or two here… Well, at least I do not need to punish them, if they've taken that much care with my little Ran-kit. Ran-kit where have you gotten yourself off to? And trouble have you gotten into now? There can't be anything else in the Void lands, not when he is there…and I wonder if he is more dangerous than Alshe or will prove to be since he will provoke Alshe's wrath…_

*** 

Luren was living at that time in a small apartment, making a decent enough living by working as a factory worker. He managed to elude Alshe's hounds finally. His sister Marika had even been able to create a false death to hide his trail for awhile. A death that would convince Alshe that he and the kit were dead. It seemed to be holding though, by the Lady, he didn't know how long… 

_: Ah, Uncle Luren, how is it with you and your kit? :_

Luren froze in the act of pulling off his pants. A large kitsune had appeared in the middle of the room, its glossy sable coat gleaming wetly in the white fluorescent glow of the light. 

_Gods, how can they find me so soon…And, Ran, is he safe?_

_: Oh, you need not fear that this will come to the ears of my father, Uncle Luren. We may have not met before uncle but my name is Shan, son of the Clan Chief. :_

_: What do you want? : _Luren said panicked but trying for ways to escape this trap he was in. The words the other kitsune said did not comfort him for he had long since concluded that the rumors of instability in the Void Chiefdom's royal line were correct. His Reshka's relations were notoriously fickle-minded and as changeable as the wind when mood struck them. 

_: Nothing, just to tell you that I will protect you and your kit from further interference as I could. In return I want your blessing. When the kit, your surviving kit is old enough to mate, I want him to be mine. :_

_: What if I say no? : _Luren wasn't going to promise his kit to this potential madman even if the Fire Clan practiced such an unreasonable custom, which they did not. 

_Who knows how much depravity my Ran-kit will have to suffer in his hands? Better to die than to let my kit fall into his hands…_

_: You will lead me to him eventually…Uncle. You know that. Besides, won't he have a good life being my mate? I'll give him all that he can ask for, if he becomes my mate. I love him above and beyond reason. :_

_: And why would you do that? :_

_: Because Aunt Reshka was like a mother to me when I had none. I think I'd like her to be my mother even if posthumously. :_

_: You're lying. :_ Luren knew at that instant that this Shan was lying about his reason and who knows what else…? For an eternity of time, the heavy ozone of power filled the room, blazing. Luren readied himself for the strike he thought was surely to come from the offended nogitsune. Then suddenly it was gone without a trace and the sound of kitsune laughter rang, slightly deranged to his inner ears. As precipitously as he appeared, the black kitsune disappeared in a flash of dark glowing mist. 

Luren fell shakily to the bed wondering at his luck. Shan _was_ powerful, an opponent to be reckoned with. And that the black kitsune stopped wasn't at all reassuring. From that day, Luren had the feeling of eyes watching him, kitsune eyes and knew that the black kitsune waited for him to go to Ran, to dare to lead the crazed nogitsune to his son. So Luren had stayed away for the twenty long years. 

*** 

The memory of that one encounter burned in his mind as he stood a glaring red against the foliage of the Nogitsune Clan lands he had to wonder… 

_Did I do it that time? Did I lead that bastard to Ran when I met up with him for that short period of time? And is this the result of that one time carelessness? Did I trade a little happiness for the little one's freedom? Or should I have taken him away then… Now it's too late…_

*** 

Luren had been an agent of Kritiker for five years. It was better life for the displaced kitsune, a free, unconstrained life that allowed him to use his abilities to the fullest. Besides, his sister who had been staying in the human world had been working for Kritiker for decades now. Somehow he wondered why, Marika had stayed in the human world. The human she loved had died a few months before, the victim of the man's own brother, an abomination that, kin-slaying… He knew that some kitsune stayed in the human world for fascination with the humans. Some like his sister fell in love with individual humans that they stayed with till their deaths, kitsune mated for life. Though to him it seemed like a foolish thing to fall in love with someone who would die in the blink of an eye. Still if the mating had mortal children a kitsune may choose to stay and take care of them. 

_I guess she thinks of Kritiker as their children…_

With this in mind he had come in to a surprise. 

"Abyssinian has decided to hunt alone for the kidnappers of his human sister." 

"Why didn't you stop him? You know it's dangerous for him to do so alone. With Schwartz, Schreint and Estet about! We need agents too much to be losing them because of temperament." 

_: Luren, we know where he is at all times. He's hard to convince to return to the fold. Besides, weren't you the one who doubted his membership in Weiß? Maybe you could take him while he's at loose ends and give him a new direction in life. : _Manx said in the pause that followed, their eyes met in challenge. 

"Botan, it was his decision. He's an adult and a headstrong man." 

_: Maybe I will, Marika, maybe I will. :_

Luren had stalked out of that meeting much faster than ever. Marika always drove him out with her logic. She had become all serious and much too involved with human affairs. 

_: The little one will not thank you for interfering in what he sees as a personal matter. :_ Concern trailed into the void as Luren focused on his objective and ignored the statement. 

*** 

In the end, Luren opted not to tell Ran anything about their heritage or their relationship. It had been obvious that Ran felt truly attached to his human family. The kit's determination to help his adoptive sister touched deeply on kitsune loyalty. Botan was not going to complicate an already complex situation. It could've gotten Ran killed, if he complicated matters further. 

_And face it, you were afraid to face him. Afraid that he would reject you, that he would ask why you left him and what happened to his mother… Afraid that he would recoil with horror from the heritage that would be considered strange in the human world…_

And this went on for months on end, unresolved, and now this had to happen. 

_Maybe it's for the best…_

*** 

In the not-place of the Lady… 

A small dainty fox, not much bigger than Ran, jumped off the lap of the Lady with a resigned sighed. Her face was more mature, more defined she was no kit. Though she wondered if that would have helped her case if she truly was. 

"Did this have to happen, Mother?" The red fox blurred into a red fox-headed, furry, woman wearing a faint copy of the many colored robes the Lady wore. Her large brown eyes held some reproach she couldn't help but show. 

"Aye, yes. It's for the best, this time Luren can't evade his responsibility for the kit." The many-tailed Lady said fiddling with a globe of light. 

"But was it truly necessary, he really thought that he would lead evil nogitsune to his kit. And is it fair to the kit? Ran-kit is so young…" 

"Kitsune value life but we are not cowards. Luren has not proven the second adage. He must learn to stand fast. Besides another mating is about to be tested. I favor Ran-kit. The little one has found great courage in adversity. The one he will be mated to must prove himself worthy to me." 

"As you will, my Lady." The hooded figure turned to leave, back into waking world. 

"I may have a reputation for compassion but I don't pretend to be easy, Marika-child." 

"I know that, Mother." The cowl fell off to reveal the fox-headed woman it hid from view. 

"Then be patient and wait. If it helps, remember that of all the kitsune I favor you, my last-born ones. And of all of you at the moment, I prefer my little grandchild Ran. You know my favor is not light nor is it fickle it will last Ran's lifetime." 

"But as you said you never pretended to be easy. Shouldn't I fear for Ran-kit more for the favor?" 

"Ah, that is what I like you my priestess, plainspoken. Be off now." The woman laughed filling the void with the tinkle of power. Marika bowed and left the place to the sound of laughter. 

*** 

"Are you ready, Brad-san?" Iraka asked as he fidgeted. They had gotten back to the place from where Ran had gated in the Schwartz safe house. 

"Ready as I'll ever be." Crawford said feeling the energy residuals in the room. They didn't feel alien to him. In fact they felt warm, welcoming as if Ayan was still in the room with them somehow. He knew that his new clanmate felt less than the welcome was raring to be off. 

"On the count of three, one…two…three…" The world faded in a wisp of blue mist. 

**~TBC~**

**Author's Notes:**

Ayan-kitsune: LITTLE Ran-kit! *Looks absolutely huffy as he says this* 

Silrayn: Yeah! *Snicker* little. 

Ayan-kitsune: LITTLE! *Huffs cutely* 

Brad-kitsune: *licks Aya's head* Don't worry, I like you no matter what your size is. 

Schuldich: *snicker* There's something to that. 

Brad-kitsune: Hentai! *Jumps up on the German biting him on the nose* 


	8. Bí: speak now or forever hold your peace...

  
  
  
****   
**** ****

**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION ****

**VIII. speak now or forever hold your peace…**

Two blue foxes hid in the brush before a hill in the nogitsune clan lands… 

_: Ready, Crawford? The pack den of the Aresh is over at the next rise. The ceremony ground is an outdoor field… They'll wait for the moon to rise before starting. Don't forget to shift forms before…:_

Crawford got the thought impression of a small circular field, cleared for the purpose before a hill. 

_: Hai. :_ They had practiced fighting techniques in both kitsune and humanoid forms and while Crawford seemed to grasp the principles of four footed fighting and learn reflexively, he had his clumsy moments. Nor would he be the equal of someone who had years and years of experience. 

*** 

"Crawford-san, today we will practice on how to fight in our kitsune form. Do you know how canines fight?" Iraka-san had said taking their exertions to the walled garden of the safe house. 

"They try to go for the jugular don't they and hold on with their teeth?" 

"Aa, but have you seen them fight? How they use their hind legs as support and try to use their forelegs to draw even with their competitor." 

"Like two stags over a doe?" 

"Exactly. Though there is more to it than that with our powers… Let me show you, transform into kitsune form Crawford-san." 

That Crawford did, shaking his ears a bit. The form wasn't as uncomfortable as he had thought of at first, just different, and the balance was something else. 

_: Rush me. :_

_: Aa. : _Crawford charged at Iraka-kitsune and saw the blue fur flash by as he rushed. He didn't have the time to go up his hind legs when he found himself sprawled into the bush, a bit stunned. 

_: You shocked me with a bit of lightning in your paws while shoving? :_

_: Aa. You try? You've learned well enough to modulate your own gifts. Ready? :_

Crawford and Iraka had gone to the Thunder Clan Lands for the last two days practicing on rabbits. A fine degree of control was necessary not to burn the animal, only to stun it. Fresh, raw meat was delicious when still warm and newly killed so that hunting for a pack entailed stunned, not killed, prey. 

_: Aa. :_

A rush of blue fur came at him and he set himself up to hit it. He missed as Iraka dodged him but the bolt grazed the other fox. 

_: Not bad for a first try. Again? :_

Iraka charged but this time to Crawford's surprise, the blue kitsune went up on his hind legs to 'push' against Crawford's bolt deflecting it in passing before charging again. 

_Something tells me I'm in for a hell of a day…_

_: Okay, that's enough use of powers. Let's practice the physical attacks first. :_

In the next pass, Crawford managed to wrestle Iraka-san into the bush. 

_: Good. Now can you do it again? :_

Iraka charged barely giving Crawford time to dodge. The precog earned one of the many bruises he got that day as Iraka managed by accident to fling him into a tree. And so it went on and on. Crawford never completely missed Iraka but never was so lucky that he'd hit the other blue kitsune two times in a row. 

*** 

_Besides I'd be fighting someone older and much more experienced than me…_

With this firmly in mind, Crawford and Iraka intended the fight to be a human form matter. Crawford had fared much better with his combative training in human form, probably since he had been a trained by Estet. He had even shown Iraka a thing or two… 

_But now is not the time to muse over that._

The moon was shyly peeping over the horizon. 

_: Time to climb the hill and let them see us. :_

Crawford did so unhappily. He had argued about the necessity of challenging Shan head on… 

*** 

"Why do I have to challenge Shan in a duel? Why don't we just rescue Ayan without having to go to the ceremony at all?" Crawford argued as entered the human sized quarters of the Thunder Clan pack they were staying with. It had been a frustrating first day's training, nothing he did was quite right. All the rabbits he tried to stun were fried from his lack of control. To duel he would need better control other than the basics that could be imparted through the wordless telepathic teaching, kitsune could do to one another. 

"Because you need to have rights over Ran-kit that would be uncontestable. You don't want to start a war don't you between the Clans." Iraka explained patiently. 

"Relax. It'll come to you soon enough…" 

*** 

Iraka had been right it did come to him after a bit more practice. But Crawford still had qualms and now as he climbed the hill that would make him visible to several potentially hostile foxes, they returned in full force. 

They were all there, the nogitsune, standing still in the half-lit circle, all seven of them standing still like obsidian statues wetly gleaming in the moonlight. Their lean, unreadable faces, almost identical to Crawford's untrained, newly taught eyes were neutrally set against this invasion of their territory. They were all full adults from the set of their vulpine faces. Crawford learned that much from staying with the Thunder Clan pack he would be calling his own, finished features so unlike Ayan's soft features. Adult nogitsune much bigger than him and Iraka by virtue of kitsune race differentiation. The largest one down there was at least a foot bigger than him and the smallest, nine inches. He tried not to think of it too much as he crested the hill. 

_Outnumbered and outsized, what am I getting myself into?_

_: Thunder cousins, why have you intruded into our territory? :_ Asked a bass voice in Crawford's head as they stood on the hilltop. 

_: I have come to challenge the rite. I have prior claim over Ran. :_ Crawford said. 

_: Are you willing to challenge me then? :_ Said a tenor voice, slyly into his mind. 

_: Yes. : _Crawford said calmly, though his hackles were rising at this new voice. A black fox of average size walked out of the blackness that must be the den entrance to confront them. 

So this was his Ayan's cousin the one who wanted his red fox kit so much… 

_: Challenge me if you dare. :_ There was the challenge phrase. 

_: I do in fox-human form. : _Crawford shifting into his were-kitsune form. 

*** 

Aya was sitting miserably at the entrance of the den waiting for his cue to go to the circle when he heard a voice in his head that was strangely familiar. Then, unexplainably, Shan walked out leaving him behind. 

_That sounded like Crawford but how…?_

_: ...I have prior claim over Ran. :_

Joy flooded Ran's little heart at the sound of that. Though fear soon began to overcome it. 

_How can he fight Shan? He's only human and susceptible to the controlling glare. He must be bluffing or has Iraka-san, Schuldich, Nagi and Farfarello with him. That's it!_

Aya ran out to be puzzled by blue stranger. He sniffed in the air. He could smell the scent of Crawford mixed with something else. 

_Huh! Did my father betrothed me to some else who is claiming me now…or did Iraka-san find someone to help them…_

Then the blue fox transformed into that much beloved form. 

Ran ignored all possibilities and ran to him, to his beloved Crawford. Stopping short only to remember that Crawford might not want him now. But he felt himself being picked up and cuddled. 

_: Ayan-kit? It's me. Don't be afraid, I'm here now. I won't let him have you. It's all right. :_

_: Crawford? Gomen… :_

*** 

Crawford didn't know when the little red fox had come out of the den and why he didn't notice him. But then, preoccupied as he was with his rival, he wasn't surprise. 

_: What have you to be sorry about, Ran-kit? If anyone who should be sorry, it's me. You're being true to yourself. Nothing you have done makes me want you less. You're mine. Mine not his. :_ Crawford said. 

_: Aa. But… :_

_: But nothing, you're mine. :_

_: Be careful of Shan, he's…dangerous. :_

_: So are you Ran's lover? Funny he has not spoken about you at all. Unsurprising really, a pervert like you? Taking such a young'un for a lover. : _Shan's sly voice entered their conversation. 

Crawford growled at that. His growl rumbled throughout the clearing, an angry sound in the stillness. 

_: I smelled your sexual musk on his fur. I'll be so happy to replace that with my own in the fullness of time. :_

_: Shan, let me go. If you really care… :_

_: Don't try to reason with him, Ayan. He's crazy… He won't believe you anyhow. He was insanely fixated on your mother. :_

_: Ah, so that's it. I knew that there was some strange reason...: _The ruminating quality of Aya's voice gratified Crawford. 

So my Ayan saw through you… He'll never go to you even if I lose this duel…Never… 

_: I reject you, cousin. : _Aya added directly to Shan. 

Crawford was elated to find Ayan's reaction_. Stick that up your ass, you nutcase._

_: Aa, you may now but you will forget. You will, once I get rid of this nuisance forever. :_ Shan was utterly smug when he said it. 

_: Shan! :_

_: But let's get on with the duel, shall we? : _Shan said shifting negligently into his half-human half-kitsune form. His face sported a smug smirk on his face at Crawford's reaction. 

_He looks like me, a few things here and there but…_

_: Don't you think he would like to be my lover now? I can give him whatever he wants. Besides giving you what you want…power, wealth. Give it up and you will have all that you desire, I can read you very well, Once-Human. :_

A sliver of doubt made it's way to Crawford's consciousness but only for a moment. The weight and snuggled at him comforted him. 

_: No. Ran is mine. :_

_: As you wish. :_

*** 

_: No. Ran is mine. : _Aya relaxed at hearing this. He had tensed at Shan's offer. 

_Crawford's always been ambitious…it would have been easier to give what Shan wanted but he's giving it up for me…_

New apprehension rose to take in its place as Aya felt Crawford ruffle his ears and put him down. 

Crawford, are you sure of what you are doing…? I--I don't want you to die for my sake. 

_: Brad… :_

*** 

_: Don't worry, Ayan. It'll be okay. You know me. : _Brad said, projecting more calm than he felt. Though the very act of reassuring the little red fox. 

_I won't let him hurt you if I have to die. I'll take him with me..._

Crawford set himself for the attack he knew was to come. And came it did in a most unexpected form. Shan charged at him with his clawed hands extended. 

_Kuso, he's fast…_

Crawford avoided being slashed on the chest by the thinnest of margins. His gift barely warned him of the other kitsune's move in time. 

_And hard to predict…_

He dodged another attack this one to his head. He drew on the essence of the Mystical Realm to create a knife and tried to wound Shan's arm with it. The other dodged with lightning speed and pulled out a katana out from nowhere. 

_Now, what do I do…?_

Crawford fended off a blow that would have finished him if it had connected. Wondering desperately what to do. He was as fast as any other kitsune which meant that he was faster than even Schuldich now but insanity had given the other even faster reflexes and the edge of being unpredictable even with Crawford's gift. 

_Something tells me, this is going to be harder than it seems…_

*** 

Another swipe, another dodge, sweat began to bead on both combatants' foreheads. Crawford still couldn't figure out how to get through Shan's defenses. 

_Kuso, he's good, very good but I must be better… Wait a moment…a pattern?_

Crawford wasn't mistaken there was a pattern, of a sort, he risk a quick look in the future and fought to keep the grim satisfaction from showing on his face. 

A memory… 

Crawford bored, watching Schuldich rush at Aya on the swordsman's left with a knife. Aya parried it with his sword getting knocked down for the nth time. 

_If we had been serious about killing them at that time…well, now I'm glad we weren't… I have you…It ends…either way it ends right now…_

Crawford prepared to charge… 

*** 

Aya watched on his view beside Iraka-san on the hill with a clenched stomach. His alarm increased as Crawford and Shan dueled with intense fury that didn't show any signs of abating any time soon. 

_They seem so well matched… If Shan kills Crawford…I'll--I'll never mate with him never…_

Then it was over. Crawford rushed at Shan with his knife, which the nogitsune parried, while Crawford's other hand snaked out a millisecond behind to administer a lightning shock that threw Shan out of the clearing into a tree. The black kitsune didn't get up. 

_: Shan's all right. Just a bit heavily stunned and a little concussed from his contact with the tree. Ran-kit is yours by right now, if the kit doesn't object. :_ Said the bass voice of the pack leader who came to sniff at his kinsman. He was the largest kitsune Crawford had ever seen. 

_: I don't. : _Aya interjected. 

: Then shall we finish the rite with a different mate this time? : The Aresh pack leader seemed unfazed by this turn of events. 

_: Yes, please. But be aware that I will not take on Chief Alshe for you, nor do I have any intention of letting you use my Ayan for any sort political end. : _Crawford said, more like growled at the pack leader, his hackles stood up on end. 

_: Aye, you have won the right. Every kitsune must respect it. Though you must realize that that it would not stop Shan from trying to undermine your mating. He was awfully taken by Ran-kit's mother. :_

_: Thank you, but the ceremony… :_

_: Yes. :_

The pack leader walked back into the circle and murmured something in fox tone, the rest of the nogitsune murmured it with him and the circle began to glow. Dust motes seem to rise from the ground to form a white barrier with an opening. 

: Ayan, shall we? : 

: Aa. : Aya said, feeling very happy about what was about to happen. His apprehensions turning into joy for this moment that he bounded into the circle joyfully with Crawford. 

_Now this is what it's meant to be…_

*** 

Crawford looked at the red fox kit beside him and grinned possessively. He was already in his blue fox form as they murmured in physical and mental language the vows that made them mates for life. 

_Mine, all mine…_

*** 

_: Ran-kit do you love him? :_ Kizie asked as Aya said farewell to his Aresh kindred. 

_: Yes, I really do, Kizie-baasan. :_

_: Are you really sure? I mean he is a pervert taking a kit as young as you to his bed and all… :_

_: It was really my fault there, Kizie-baasan. My power, my will made him do it. :_

_: But you're a kit and raised human, you can't be held responsible for that. Does he really care for you? :_

_: Yes, he does. I heard from Iraka-san how he had risked the Lady's wrath so that he could come and rescue me. He trained hard to do so too. :_ Iraka had taken Aya aside to tell him of what had occurred since Crawford was too busy with the Aresh pack who wanted to ask their new kinsman questions. 

_: I guess that counts in his favor, but if you ever need to get away… :_

_: Aa, I know 'baasan you will be there for me, ne? : _Aya cocked up his head to stare at Kizie as the latter gave him a lick bath perhaps for the last time. 

Aya felt eyes on him and swiveled his tiny head at Crawford who had sidled up to give him an inquiring stare. 

_: Brad-chan, this is Kizie-baasan, she was very nice to me when I stayed in the Aresh den. Kizie-baasan this is Brad Crawford, my mate. :_ Aya introduced Crawford with pride. 

_: I'm glad to meet a kinswoman that was kind to my Ayan-chan. I also appreciate your concern about me but that is between Ran-kit and me. : _Crawford said nodding a little to Kizie. 

_: Yes, I guess it is but if you hurt him… :_

_: You don't have to worry about that. : _The bone-deep certainty in Crawford's voice made Aya mew in contentment, rubbing his head on the white chest ruff of his new lifemate as the precog and Kizie stared each other down. 

_: I guess you wouldn't. :_ Kizie said grudgingly after a moment. 

_: Damned right, I wouldn't. Time to say bye-bye, Ayan. :_

_: Bai, bai, Kizie-baasan! : _Aya said as he was gently lifted up by the neck-ruff. 

_: Fare well, Ran-kit. :_ The affection in Kizie's voice warmed Aya long after they crested the hill. They weren't going to 'gate straight away knowing that that could be dangerous since the 'gate could be used to trace their entrance into the human world. Iraka and Crawford agreed to find a secluded grove in which to 'gate. 

_I hope to come back here someday, though when I've grown up some and the situation's not as volatile…_

*** 

_: What happened? : _Aya asked fuzzily. At one instant he was being carried by Crawford then another he felt like he was being dropped and things had faded into black. 

_: Are you okay, Ran-kit? Did that Thunder Clan bastard hurt you in any way? What am I saying…he did hurt you and he's going to pay for it! : _Aya opened his eyes to see another small red fox stare at him with concerned gray eyes. 

_Those eyes, that scent seems familiar…_

The thought lingered only for a moment before being replaced by indignation. Evidently this Fire Clan kitsune thought to rescue him from Iraka-san and Crawford. 

_Well, he'll learn his mistake soon enough. Where were you three days ago when I needed rescuing from Shan?_

_: Who are you? That "Thunder Clan bastard" as you quaintly put it happens to be my life-mate. Take me back to him and Iraka-tousan, immediately! :_

_: Ran-kit, it's me, your otousan, Luren. If someone tells you differently they're lying. Look we're even the same color. You remember me, don't you? :_

_: I remember a little. Are you really my 'tousan? You seem to be awfully tiny to be much older than I.: _Aya asked looking at the Fire kitsune doubtfully. The other kitsune was only about three inches bigger than he was. When considering how much bigger the adults towered over him in the Aresh den and how Crawford and Iraka were at least twice his size, Aya really doubted that this could be his father. 

_: Fire kitsune are naturally small, it's our nature.:_

_: If you're my father, why did you leave me with humans in the first place? :_ Aya was still skeptical and unwilling to believe. Though the familiarity of the stranger's scent and sound of the voice that calmed him was starting to convince him. 

_: Because Void Clan chief's men were nearly on to me. You were malnourished and wouldn't survive the run any longer. I was determined to save you from them even at the cost of my life I did manage to elude them later but then your crazy cousin started to chase after me and I couldn't risk you. I thought I might have led him to you in fact but I found you in the company of Thunder kitsune rather than… Well, it's clear than on of those strange kitsune molested you. I can smell his sex scent on your fur. You're underage. He should have known that though you don't know it. I'm going to pound him into the ground for… :_

_: Argh! It was my choice. Why does everyone assume that Crawford molested me? I love him, he's my mate, end of story. :_

_: Crawford! That Schwartz bastard is kitsune! I might have known. Much now is becoming clear. Another kitsune pervert, pedophile, shotakon bastard, to take advantage of you like that... :_

_: How do you know of Schwartz? :_ Aya said, getting ready to run for all his tiny paws were worth. 

_This one knows of Schwartz and possibly Weiß a dangerous kitsune to know with connections to the human world._

_: I work for Kritiker, Ran-kit. In fact, you've met me and thought me dead all this past year. :_

_: Huh. :_

_: Botan. I really enjoyed working with you, little one… :_

Suddenly, Aya found himself being lifted into empty space and the air filled with snarling and snapping. Crawford stood in front of them, he was the one who was making half the sounds while Aya's "father" produced the rest. 

_: He claims to be my father. : _Aya said to Crawford. 

_: Luren-tousan, if you are truly my father… You will understand. :_

_: Ayan. :_

_: Ran-kit! :_

_: Both of you should stand down and we'll talk. :_

_: Aa, the kit talks sense though I think it best to discuss this in my quarters in the human world. :_

_: Where Thunder Clan members will surround cub and me! :_

_: Where we will not be disturb by the Void clan chief's men. : _Iraka said, unperturbed by the accusation. 

Aya was not so sanguine. He leaped up metaphorically to his foster father's and his mate's defense. 

_: Iraka-san is not treacherous! He has taught me and taken care of me since he found me all forlorn in kitsune form in Schwartz' care and Crawford took good care of me when I was in fox form. He cared for me as a pet even before he became my lover. He didn't even know that part was real until recently. Please. :_

_: I consent then. :_

The world blurred and they were in the lawn of a park in the human world. The adults all shifted to human form and took a cab over to Iraka-san's place. 

*** 

"Okay, now that we're safe ground. Let's clear up this mess." Iraka said settling everybody in his living room. 

Botan argued with Crawford briefly on whose lap Ayan was going to sit but Crawford won that argument soundly when Aya plopped onto his lap without hesitation triggering a stare-down. 

_: It's not like I haven't sat on his lap before. : _Aya had projected exasperatedly to the red fox in human form trying to defuse the potentially lethal situation. 

_: Ran-kit! He was your enemy. :_

_: Emphasis on was. :_

_Why can't you let go on that point, I certainly have!_

_: He killed your human family, he had a hand in your foster sister's coma! :_

_I know you just have to bring that up. _Aya almost rolled his eyes in exasperation at this recitation of ancient history. 

_: Aya-chan's awake now and doing better without me in her life. About my human parents…that was past, one couldn't live in the past. I can only remember them and honor their memory. :_

_: By betraying them with Schwartz? By sleeping with their murderer? :_

_: No by carrying on, by making a new family. Aya-chan will never understand as Crawford does about my assassin's life. Besides, Crawford became a kitsune for me. He fought Shan for me at great personal risk, when you were not there to protect me. I will not have you insult him just because what he did in his human life. Come to think of it, he wasn't that bad a human. He cared for me and cuddled me through the problems of being kitsune in a big city. He defended me from dogs, cigarettes and demented girls with baby clothes. He washed and took care of my wounds. What else would I want for a mate? Considerate and caring, what else is there? :_

_: Does he care about you beyond pet? :_

_: Aa, he does. : _"Botan" lowered his gaze at the soft admission. 

*** 

"Crawford, now I got Ran's side of the story. What about yours?" Luren asked in a seemingly conciliatory tone that held a note of challenge nonetheless. 

_: 'tousan! :_

_: No kit, he must answer to me. :_

Crawford looked at the kitsune Kritiker agent with something like terror in his eyes. This is going to be a long afternoon it seemed that most male kitsune had this tendency to sermonize about pedophilia. 

_Here we go again…_

"Ummm, Luren-san, if you really are Luren, Ran's father, you must realized that I have gone through this Inquisition once before with Iraka-san who takes seriously his responsibility as foster kitsune father to Ran." 

"Good for him then." Luren chuckled a little at this show of frankness, defusing the tension that had built up in the room. 

"So do I get off the hook this time?" Crawford asked. 

_These kitsune males sure a paternal lot._

"No, but I think I'll be less draconian about it. Start at the beginning when Schwartz kidnapped 'Ayan'. Speak freely." Luren said. 

"Well, it all began when I had a vision of Ayan attacking Schwartz with flame…" Crawford said. 

_I think it was at that time when I saw the bemused expression on Ayan's face after falling off his desk that I fell in love with him..._

In retrospect, Crawford was beginning to understand what endeared his Ayan to him. It was a mix of opportunistic charm and sweetness of the kit side of the redhead, quiescent till the quickening of kitsune blood. Combined with the silent demeanor and the practical side, a result of human upbringing, and the understanding of being a fellow assassin, these made Aya well nigh irresistible. 

*** 

"So that was how it was, I didn't know until that night what I was doing with Ayan-chan was real. Then he got into the Void lands and I knew I just had to rescue him from Shan…" Crawford trailed off. The poor man really looked like he was trying to please Luren as the father of his kit-mate. In a way, Luren approved of him. He wasn't the ruthless leader of Schwartz on the couch, he was Brad Crawford, newly made kitsune trying to please his father-in-law. Luren approved of the sentiment. 

"Aa. I think you have done what you must. You seem to be a worthy mate to Ran. But what are you going to do now that you know?" Luren asked, he said gathering himself to close in on his chosen prey. He was determined to extract the promise here and now on Ran's behalf. 

_The kit is too sweet on this man to be allowed free rein with their relationship…_

"I--don't think we should be having sex until Aya's at least 200 years of age for one." 

"Aa." Luren barely hid the triumph in his tone. 

_That and much more I intend to ask. I want to be able to interfere for Ran-kit's welfare when you fail him. I have failed him so many times that I can't risk doing it again…_

_: Brad… : _Ran-kit wailed in both their minds, pouting cutely with all the force of a storm. He was also snuggling like crazy on Crawford's lap. 

_: Ran-kit! That is not negotiable! :_

_He must really stop thinking like a human…_

_: Are you sure you want to agree to that Brad-chan? That's too long to wait and I want you now! :_

_: Ran-kit! :_

Crawford was red as a Fire kitsune's fur. 

_: Anyway, isn't it like closing the bag after the cat has gotten out? :_

_: You're still a kit… :_

_: Ran-kit, let me talk to your 'tousan for a moment, ne? : _Iraka-san interjected. 

_: But Iraka-san…:_

_: Let me speak to him alone, Ran-kit. Object later kit, after I've talked to him. I don't think you'll disagree to what I will say to him. :_

_: Aa. :_

_: I think it doesn't matter anymore. Ran-kit has grown up with humans and is older than his years. Besides I can't see the Lady giving her blessing on the union if Crawford was going to be abusive about it. :_

_: But sex at that age? :_

_I can't believe that any sane kitsune would condone such depravity…_

_: Aa. But Ran-kit is the one deciding for his own body. We really can't decide for him anymore. He has been functioning as an adult for so long that it would be too late to ask him to be a kit. A chick can't be put back into the shell for our sensibilities. Though I do agree that he is a kit in his fox form and may not have sex in that form a while yet, but as a kitsune whose human form had grown up in the human world and matured accordingly, he is ready in that sense. :_

_: But, but… :_

_: You have to learn not to judge Ran-kit by kitsune standards some time. He isn't truly kitsune in some ways, not like us. :_

_: Aa. : _Luren conceded the point unhappily, it was a hard thing to admit especially with his little kit pouting at him so cutely, looking so very young. But Iraka had a point. Luren as Botan had seen Ran at his fighting best taking on the Dark Beasts of the human world with the best of them. He should be more trusting of the kit's judgement but still… 

_I have failed him so many times, yet I can't give him what he wants in this. I guess I can't accept that my little kit has grown up and doesn't need me anymore. I thought I had the time to care for him and watch him grow but it seemed that I won't have the time after all…_

_: You'll have a second chance, sooner than you think… : _Iraka said to Luren privately. 

_: What do you mean by that? : _Luren didn't even know that he was projecting his silent thoughts. 

_: You didn't have to say it you know, I read it resigned assent, but… : _Iraka begun to say but was interrupted by a louder, more cheerful voice. 

_: Thank you 'tousan and Iraka-san. And, umm, a question if you please. 'Tousan you said before that Fire kitsune was naturally small, what do you mean by that? :_

_: I mean that we never grow to much. Your mother use to tease me about it, you know, calling me kit and picking me up. Void kitsune are second largest amongst the kindred. :_

_: You mean--you mean that I'm not going to grow anymore. It's not fair. : _The last came out in a wail that made everyone else smile. 

_: You might have inherited your mother's size. : _Luren suggested by way of comfort. 

_: Don't worry if you don't grow any larger in your kitsune form, I kind of like you this way. Portable. :_ Crawford said, smiling. 

The last statement made the kit's pout all the more petulant making Luren smile. 

_As it Ran's size was the only problem they're going to face… Oh well, at least he can be childish in this form… He doesn't behave like this in human form… They're going to have a hard time gaining acceptance from the other kitsune for this and for their human ways. But then, they have each other who am I to try and talk them out of this…_

**~TBC~** ****

**Author's Notes:**

Aya-kitsune: You _are_ going to make me inherit my mother's genes, aren't you, Silrayn-chan? *Cocks his head cutely at Silrayn rubbing around her ankles like a cat* 

Silrayn: Heh, Brad-kitsune likes you the way you are… *snicker* 

Brad-kitsune: Yeah! *Picks up the struggling little red fox kit in his mouth chanting* mine, all mine… 

Aya: @__@ 


	9. Bí: pack succession

**Acknowledgements:**

for additional plot bunnies - Jacque Koh 

for fanart: blume-chan 

for reviews (in no particular order): Crem, Silver Angel, DragonSoul, @_@, oracle, Hue, Alethia, JediClarus, wystii, Whome, shadowofthevampireangel, Cherii, Ranya, silver sphinx, Katoru-Kitsune, Silvernyte Rhuka, Shayneko, saa, Hotaru Nintai, Kalipsaki, Kirana Kitano, Jorsen, Ms. C, KittyKat AoiMizu, arian, Lady Gackt, ice lupus, =), arcade, sionnachdubh, Neko4, Squall-Loire, Chibi-chan and others i might have forgotten to mention...   


  


**Kitsune Bí**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION 

  
  


**IX. pack succession**

_: Yeow! Why did you nip me like that! : _Crawford said as he sat. 

_: Portable? :_ Ayan-chan said with a sniff. He was sitting a bit away from Crawford on the couch quite miffed. 

_: Well, you fit in my human arms well in this form and I can always carry you in my mouth in my kitsune form. :_

_: This size is so impractical. My paws get really sore because my legs are so short. You can't carry me all the time when we need to run. I look like some child's stuff toy yet I can't masquerade as one to get out of harm's way. :_

_: I know but it's one of your endearing qualities in this form. They're what make you, you and no one else. No matter what your size is, you're my mate. Though I do like you this size. You're cute. : _Crawford reached out to massage the small paws but Aya avoided him. 

_: Argh, you too. :_

_: You're exceptionally kawaii, you know and an expert at snuggling. I can't imagine one of those nogitsune snuggle and not bowl down their intended target. :_

Aya pretended to ignore Crawford for a moment before jumping back into latter's lap to snuggle again. 

_: Well I guess it's okay to be so kawaii then. It's not that I want to be really big but another thing that's bothering me is that we look a little mismatched. You're rather largish in your kitsune form compared to me. Won't you continue to treat me as a kit long after I've grown up if I stay in this form? For the matter are you going to treat me as a kit when I'm in human form? :_

_: It never will happen, Aya. Ever since I found out who you are I have never really treated you as a kit. Can I really make love to a kit? I don't think so. Can I have this conversation with a kit? I don't have to. :_

_: I guess I've been thinking like a kit for too long. I love you, Brad-chan. :_

_: I love you too, Ran-chan. :_

_: What are we going to do for a living? : _Iraka-san had given them a lecture on killing humans when they think themselves part of that species. 

_I could almost hear him now. "Kitsune don't kill other kitsune. They do kill humans. But you two think yourselves as human in most ways therefore you must not kill humans and kitsune, it's just not done."_

Aya understood in a way Iraka's point but he had been killing for a long time. 

_Besides it's not as if both Crawford and I can just walk away from both Kritiker and Estet. What are we going to say to them…We've found that we can't kill anymore, sayonara and have a good life?_

Aya smiled a little at Manx' would-be reaction to that particular tidbit. 

_: And what are we going to tell Kritiker and Estet? :_

_: Estet will be easier since it's been disorganized by the death of the Elders. Many teams have been disappearing, never to be heard from again. Nagi and I have been carefully embezzling funds from them for a while now. It would not be easy but not unmanageable either. I'm more worried about Kritiker. :_

_: Aa. We may defend innocents but we're not allowed to get out of the business once we're in.:_

_: Maybe we should fake your death, too? :_

_: Maybe. But--but what about my teammates? :_

_: They didn't want you didn't they? They barely missed you as Aya and as Ayan. They hadn't mounted a search for you, or at least they hadn't done so when I left. :_

_: But I still owe them. : _Aya said stubbornly. 

_: Aa if that's how you feel. We'll visit them tomorrow. Schwartz has a break from missions for awhile, not that we're going for any missions after. I'm thinking of asking Iraka if we could have Schwartz stay in the Thunder Clan lands until Estet's convinced we're dead. Are you willing to stay and meet my new Clan mates? :_

_: If we go visiting the Fire Clan lands now and then to meet my relatives there. :_

_: Aa, let's go back home. : _Crawford said lifting Aya off the couch. 

*** 

"It's obvious now that you need a lot of growing up." Schuldich said laughingly as he looked at the blue kitsune that was Crawford, comparing his obvious bulk to delicate little Ayan-chan. 

_: Hn.: _Ayan said loudly in telepathic communication, making a small whining noise approximation as he did so. 

_: Schuldich, what's your point? : _Crawford said. He and Ayan were cuddling in their kitsune forms when the German had come in into Crawford's room. He had wanted to sniff at Ayan to make sure that nothing was left of Shan on the latter's fur, an utterly kitsune thing. 

_: Just seeing if our little Ayan-chan was all right. :_

_: You could've asked Nagi. :_

Ayan walked delicately over to Schuldich to butt his head onto the other's arm. 

_: The chibi's out with his demented girlfriend. Besides it's more fun this way. :_ Schuldich said as he chucked Ayan under the chin with his fingers. 

Crawford saw Ayan permitted the caress, allowing the scratching to pleasure him and fought down an irrational jealousy. 

_Remember this is Schuldich…Ayan chose you over him. Remember that._

_: Yeowch, you have to learn a bit more to control your teeth, Ayan. : _Schuldich said as Ayan fell to nibbling on his fingers. 

Crawford resolved his dilemma by grabbing Ayan by the scruff of the neck. He settled the red kitsune paws up to give the little red kitsune a lick bath. 

_: Kawaii. Crawford's really into shotakon, ne? :_ Schuldich said, laughing as both kitsune glared at him. 

*** 

_: The chibi's out with his demented girlfriend. Besides it's more fun this way. :_

_And good riddance!_

Crawford had forbidden Nagi from bringing Tot into their safe house after the incident with doll clothes and Aya approved of his lover's order. He really hated being trussed up in those without so much a by your leave. He walked over to Schuldich to sidle up against the German, butting the latter's arm. He never thought he'd ever miss the annoying telepath but he did. He felt fingers scratching under his chin and sighed in contentment. He grabbed one finger in mock play and started to chew on it lightly. He eased off when he heard the man exclaim, chuckling internally at the other redhead's surprise. Then he found himself being gently lifted and put on his back. Crawford's blue head descended on him and a rough tongue swiped at him gently. He batted at Crawford not to seriously and settled in to enjoy the lick bath when Schuldich ruined the mood with his shotakon comment. 

_I wish people wouldn't rub it in so much. But I guess they don't have much choice I'll just have to grow up…_

*** 

"Hidaka, will you turn that thing off." Crawford said, already dripping in his suit carrying a disgruntled Ayan-chan. 

_: Hn. Ken no baka. :_

"Aya! Where have you been? Aya?" Ken asked into thin air as he looked around vainly for his teammate. 

_Aya? I could have sworn I heard Aya just now…_

_: Ken, close the water. I'm here before you. : _The red kitsune was now glaring at his teammate as he sneezed. 

"Huh." 

_There he goes again… What is going on around here?_

"Close. The. Damned. Hose. You. Are. Giving. Ayan. A. Cold. Then let's talk about your missing teammate." Crawford said enunciating each word properly so that there can be no mistake about his annoyance. 

"Oh." Ken said blushing as he turned off the hose valve. 

"Call in your other teammates and close shop. I have something to tell all of you and it involves your leader. And Hidaka get a towel." Crawford ordered to embarrassed Ken. 

"O--okay." Ken said, too flustered to object to the orders. Crawford grabbed the towels from his arms just as soon as he appeared and begun to towel Ayan dry, glaring all the while at Ken. 

_He really is attached to Ayan-chan, I never thought I'd see the day that a sadistic bastard Crawford would towel somebody else first before himself when they're both drenched…_

"Hey, you can't go in there!" Omi said as Crawford went down the basement stair to the Weiß briefing room. 

"Don't worry Omi, they already know about our basement room anyway. If you're returning that monster back we're not taking him." Youji drawled. 

*** 

"I don't intend to return Ayan back to you so you don't have to worry Kudou. By the way, did you ever tell them that you knew where he was and why by the same token, Schwartz knows the basement room rather intimately." Crawford said maliciously, when they've all settled down. He didn't like the way Aya had flinched in his arms when he had heard what Kudou had said and decided to get some more of his own back. 

"Youji-kun what does he mean by that?" Tsukyono asked, concern in his eyes. 

"It means he had been sleeping with Schuldich." Ken replied, wearily. It seemed that he had his own round of this confrontation before and Kudou had at least confided that much to him. 

"You were what? Youji-kun, how could you?" 

*** 

_Yeah, Youji how could you? Exactly the words I asked him. That time… Not that I understood all that well his answers but I'm content that Schuldich seemed to love Youji enough that time I met him…_

Ken had confronted Youji over his double dealing with Ayan-chan that time after he had met Crawford in the park and had managed to pry more than that from the older Weiß. 

Youji winced at this line of questioning and Ken knew the older blond was remembering it too. 

*** 

"Youji, is there something you want to tell me? Something about Ayan-chan?" Ken said as Youji fussed over one pot or the other in an attempt to look busy while doing nothing. They were stuck alone in the flower shop for the morning shift since Omi had school. 

"What--what do you mean by that?" Youji sputtered rather guiltily. 

"I know that Ayan is with Schwartz." Ken said directly when it was obvious that Youji wasn't going to be as forthcoming. 

"I--don't know what you're talking about." 

"Crawford implied that you did. I wasn't so sure but with your reaction right now--I'm sure that you know what I mean." 

"Well, I did know that Ayan was with Schwartz." Youji said carefully. He knew that the younger assassin knew him to much for him to try to lie his way out of this. 

"Why didn't you tell us? And how could you know?" Ken asked, his suspicions plainly on his face. 

Youji knew that he had to come up with explanations and fast. His nervousness made him blurt out the first thing that was on his mind. 

"I'm friends with Schuldich." 

"How good a friend?" Ken's eyes were narrowed as he assessed the answer. There was that rather cute frownie look on his forehead. 

_Scratch that, Ken is as cute as a rabid tiger when he's frowning like that. I am so dead._

"Very good friends?" Youji said edging away. 

"Don't you dare walk away from me Youji or I'll tell Omi. Now answer my question." Ken threatened. 

"Um, we're sleeping with each other." Youji decided to 'fess up before the Inquisition got any worse. 

_I am _so_ dead._

"Youji, how could you!" Ken said predictably. 

"I knew you were going to react like that. That's why I kept it secret for so long." 

"So long, when did you start sleeping with the bastard?" Suspicion was back in Ken's voice. 

"For about three months. Look Ken it's not been affecting the results of our encounters with them. So it's none of your business anyway." 

"How sure are you that that bastard isn't manipulating you in any way? Besides you could have had said something about Ayan. Me and Omi worried." 

"I know. Schuldich doesn't do things like that. How would I have said anything without going through all this questioning for one."   
  
  


*** 

"How do you know he doesn't do anything like that?" Ken challenged Youji as the blond tried to make his excuses. 

_It's not as if Schuldich hasn't tried to do so. Like Sakura-chan and all…_

Ken held the telepath accountable for intentionally getting an innocent like Sakura in the line of fire. 

Not to mention using her to hurt Aya when it was obvious that Sakura cared a lot for the redhead. It had hurt the girl very much to be used that way. Ken ought to know, Sakura had confided much to him. She had attributed Aya's distant behavior from that incident. She and Ken had a few friendly dates to discuss the redhead. 

"He's not like that damned it. That was under orders. This is different." 

"How so?" Ken asked, letting his skepticism leak into his tone. 

"This is personal. Besides, I'm fairly certain Crawford doesn't know of our little jaunts. We sneak time off away from both teams." 

"You're thinking with your dick damned it." 

"It's more than sex. I know that enough. He cares and he doesn't use our relationship against Weiß not that Schwartz needs to. They haven't killed us yet, have they? Besides, he was very patient to take care of me till I got over Asuka…" Youji said glaring at Ken. 

"Okay, you're a big boy now so I guess you can take good care of yourself. I just hope you know what you are doing." Ken said in a resigned tone of voice when the blond had refused to back down. 

_If you're a bit wrong about this, on your head be it. I just hope that you won't take the rest of the team down with you._

"I'll take you to meet him. Then you'll understand." Youji said conceding a point. And so he did. 

*** 

"Cool it Omittchi, I know what I'm doing." Kudou said finally in the uncomfortable silence, shifting uncomfortably and glaring at Crawford at the same time. 

_Heh, you don't intimidate me at all Weiß. I just wish you'd stop hurting my Aya's feelings…_

"So what did you come for if not to return Ayan? You did say you were saying something about Aya." Ken asked, trying to head off an incipient explosion. 

"What I am going to tell you sounds preposterous but it's true nonetheless. This is Aya." Crawford said pointing to the kitsune who snuggled at his lap. 

"You've lost your god damned mind. There's no way that that furball could be Aya." Hidaka exploded before Crawford could add any explanation. 

"Ken is right. You have lost it Crawford. Seeing the future must have scrambled your brain." 

"You must admit that that is impossible." Tsukyono said in tandem with Kudou. 

_: No it isn't impossible, this is really me. I'm the red fox you see before you. : _Aya said into their minds. 

"This is some kind of trick." 

"Schu-chan, this isn't the least bit funny." 

"Hear me out before you say anything more." Crawford used his command voice to implicitly demand silence. They all shut up. 

"Didn't you find it peculiar that Aya disappeared without a word the same time Ayan appeared. That Ayan has red fur and purple eyes? And he has three tails? Three, instead of one, obviously he's no ordinary fox." 

"What are you up to Schwartz!" Hidaka said and that began another round of accusations. 

Unnoticed, Crawford scratching Aya on the head and talked to him in voiceless kitsune-speak. 

_: Koi, are you up to transforming. I don't think they're going to be convinced otherwise. :_

_: I think so but about the clothes… :_

_: I'll make them avert their eyes a moment then provide clothing. Don't worry. If your teammates are rude enough to stare at your body, I'll pound them into the ground. :_

Crawford found it easy to imagine beating the head in of any of the Weiß if they stared too long at his Ayan. Balinese and Siberian in particular made him nervous. They were way too good looking and they weren't kids like Nagi or Bombay. 

_Besides, Aya seemed to feel a bit of loyalty for them._

_: Hai. :_

"I can provide proof. Stare at the floor a moment please." Crawford said as the Weiß members paused to take in a breath of air. 

"What the fuck!" Hidaka said as the red and black mists covered Ayan-chan from where he sat. 

"I said eyes to the floor, Hidaka." Crawford snapped. 

_I have no intention of having you see my Aya's lovely body, thank you!_

It was because of this that Crawford missed his cue. 

"Aya, what are you doing on Crawford's lap. And woohoo!" Hidaka said, goggling at the very naked Aya. 

"Hentai! No one stares at Aya's body but me." Crawford said, whacking Hidaka on the head as he conjured Aya some clothing, he wasn't fast enough. 

"Yeah, what are you doing there? Tsk, tsk!" Kudou said, innuendo dripping on his tone. 

"Not you too, Aya-kun!" Tsukyono said. 

"Hn." Aya glared at his fellow Weiß members, tails swishing and ears twitching in annoyance. 

"Aya-kun, are those tails and ears for real?" Tsukyono asked. 

"Hai." 

"Really?" Ken asked moving closer to touch one bushy tail. 

"Interesting. I never thought Crawford's got a fur fetish. It's the quiet ones you got to look for." Kudou said pulling at one furry ear to see if this was real, getting an indignant huff in return. 

"You and Schuldich have been hanging around for too long, Kudou. You're even sounding alike." Crawford said in an insulting drawl. 

"Same to you, how long have you and Aya been hanging around one another?" 

"Just for two weeks, but we'll never get things done if we keep insulting each other like this." Crawford said, exasperated. 

*** 

"Those are real. Please stop tugging on them. It hurts." Aya said finally, having enough of the Weiß poking around his foxy ears and tail. 

_You'd think it was the first time they've seen them. Its not I've stayed with them as Ayan-chan…_

"So you were Ayan-chan, Aya-kun." Omi said. 

"Hai." 

"Why did you cause so much havoc in shop, then?" Ken was having a hard time absorbing this. 

Aya flinched inwardly. 

_I knew somebody was going to bring that up… Well, was it my fault if…?_

"I was trying to help. You, idiots, missed things." 

"So were you trying to 'water' the plants when you got me with that large dipper of water?" Youji asked. 

"Ie. That was intentional. Cigarette smoke makes my foxy eyes and nose water. And by the way are you the one with the bad taste in colognes or did you get it from Schuldich? It makes my foxy nose itch!" 

"Ie, I protest. I don't have a…" 

"Youji, I always thought your cologne was the worst." Ken chortled and Omi joined in the general laughter that drowned Youji's protests to the contrary. It broke the tension that hung in the air. 

"So does this mean that you'll be returning to Weiß." Ken asked Aya finally after everyone settled down. 

"Ie, something came up. I have to quit Weiß." 

"Have you told Manx, Aya-kun. The only out in Weiß is death. You know that." Omi said concerned. 

_As if I needed to be reminded that…_

"They may have to make an exception in this case." Aya said, his voice was steadier than how he felt. He really didn't want to give up the life he had made in the human world but what was there to do. He couldn't kill, not any more. 

"Why should they? Shit! Aya…don't tell me that you're having a crises of conscience at this late date." Youji said. 

"No…but…" 

"Then why?" Ken demanded. 

"Because Aya is definitely underage. And as his guardian, with his best interest at heart, I'm forbidding him any more assassin duties." Crawford said, throwing the fat into the fire with the statement. 

_Yes, I know it's a tough thing to swallow guys. On some days, I have a hard time accepting it myself and it's me._

Aya decided not to add more facts since his former teammates seem to have a hard time swallowing the facts. They all looked like landed fishes, the truth be told. 

"Underage? Aya-kun." Omi managed to choke out while everyone else was still choking on the two facts. 

"You're his guardian…what give you the right…?" Ken and Youji almost said it simultaneously. 

"For kitsune, yes he is underage. And as for being his guardian, I am his betrothed." 

"Ki-kitsune." 

"Hai. I am a kitsune, what did you think I was with these tails and all?" Aya said annoyed at their denseness. 

"I thought so, no one so controlled can be human." Youji crowed, oh-so-tactfully in his teasing voice. 

"Hn." Aya said glaring at the blond but not really meaning it. 

_He's just being Youji. This might be our last meeting if Manx won't be reasonable._

"So how long will it take when you and Crawford get married, Aya-kun?" Omi asked. 

"About 200 years give or take five. He's too young yet." Crawford answered for both of them. Aya glared at him as he did so. 

"I am not." Aya said sulkily. This sent Ken into gales of laughter. 

"You are to." Crawford said in a firm voice. 

"I can believe it, you sounded like the chibi right now. All too eager to grow up, why not let time take it's course." Youji said. 

"I don't sound like that, Youji-kun." Omi said in his wheedling voice, thereby proving Youji's point. 

"Why no sex while Aya's still a widdle chibi?" Ken asked, still chuckling under his breath. 

"Hn." Aya and Crawford glared at Ken though both was blushing as red as Aya's hair. 

_Not exactly, but I don't think I need to tell you that little detail…_

"Thought so." Ken said, laughing some more. 

Suddenly, there was a loud thunderous knock coming from the shop above. 

"That's Manx. Go answer it, Hidaka." Crawford said without missing a beat. 

"Ha! You just want me out of hearing so that you don't have to answer." Ken said as he got up from his seat. He waved at Omi to remain seated as he did so. 

*** 

It was Manx, with a new mission. She went down with Ken tamely enough and started when she saw Crawford. Ken had not told her that the Schwartz leader was in the briefing room. 

"What is he doing here?" Manx' voice was like the crack of a gunshot in the silent room. She was yanking her gun out of its sheathe. 

"Don't worry Manx, he's come in peace." Youji said lazily as he stopped the Kritiker agent from drawing her gun. 

"Schwartz never come in peace, what do you want?" Manx asked eyes flashing as Youji prudently disarmed her. She refused the offered seat and ignored everything else including Aya who was still seated on the precog's lap. 

"I am merely informing Weiß that they are losing a member." Crawford said. 

"Aya! What did they do to you? Did they brainwash you or something?" Manx said immediately, it was clear that she didn't notice the ears and the tails in her preoccupation. 

"Hn, none, if nothing I was the one who was doing the brainwashing." Aya said, not even blinking. 

"Huh?" Manx said, clearly dumbfounded by what the redhead said. 

"I was just telling the Weiß that I'm not permitting Aya to kill anymore. He's too young for it. And he's kitsune…" Crawford said, reiterating what he said, and then explained the kitsune tenets of unnecessary killing. His mind was planning ahead on contingencies just in case Manx should insist upon the issue. 

_Big organizations don't care heck about individuals… At least, they don't know about Aya's powers and won't care to press the issue when we disappear. Maybe we should disappear for a lifetime?_

"What difference does it make if he joins Schwartz? Maybe he's better off in the guardianship of Kritiker." Manx said skeptically. 

"Schwartz is going into retirement and legit business. Besides, it would be a full time task taking care of Ran-kit here." Crawford said. 

"I'm glad you realize that." Manx said, irony plain in her voice. 

"Huh?" Crawford said, dumbfounded and so was the rest of Weiß. 

"I think, there's something you have to know. I'm…" Manx said. Red glowing mist surrounded the Kritiker operative. 

"A kitsune, too." Manx finished, her head was that of a red fox and she wore six tails. She twitched ear and lolled out her tongue in foxy amusement. 

"I've seen foxy ladies but this take the cake." Youji murmured. 

"A Fire kitsune, too I see. Are you related to Ran, here?" Crawford asked. 

"I'm Luren's sister, Ran's aunt." 

The room fell into another round of astonished quiet. This time, the silence was so total that the drop of a pin would be heard. 

"You're Aya-kun's aunt?" Omi managed to choke out at last. 

"Why didn't Luren say anything about you when he talked to us then?" Crawford said warily, giving voice to Aya's astonishment. 

"Because I told him not to. Really, it was more amusing this way besides I didn't know it was you the Lady was talking about when She referred to mating so we're even." Manx said, the foxy grin had turned to a fox laugh. 

Aya had a very good idea why Manx had wanted to keep that tidbit to herself for awhile. 

_Fox mischief, I might have known you never outgrow that… All the anxiety for nothing…_

*** 

"He what!" The sable fox-man said half rising out of his obsidian throne. 

"He tried to mate with the surviving child of your sister, my lord." Said a darkly cloaked figure as he knelt by the throne. 

"I heard that. I mean he lost the kit to someone else." 

_Somebody can actually defeat my son in combat. He is more worthless than I suspected…_

"Yes, he did." 

"I know how to handle my son but this stranger…" 

_This stranger would add another variable to the unstable political teeter-totter of the Clan._

"The stranger was a Thunder Clan fox." 

_Too close a neighbor, we share a big border with them… We can't have them have a hand in our politics…_

"So we must smoke him out of his den and take the heir from him." 

"You have accepted the kit as your heir then? As prerequisite for your remaining in the chair of rule?" 

"Aye. The Elder Council has spoken. Besides, you know that I barely hold the esteem of the folk as it is. I know well how to profit by my mistake." 

_The only reason why the Council hasn't disposed of me is that I have ruled well enough this few years…_

"Aye." 

"What do you really feel about this, my faithful spy." 

"I think it is well that you think to spare the kit as your heir. He does not have any ambition whatsoever and he is a good kit." 

"He must be a sweet kit indeed to have won your heart. You are dismissed." 

_And a far bigger threat if he has any aspirations of rule whatsoever… No one has ever claimed your loyalty other than spying my best and most valued spy…_

The cloaked figure melted into the darkness of the hallway. The fox-man stared into the darkness. 

_I hope you are right, Kizie. I really hope your right. My ambitions have come to nearly tear the Clan apart and I'm still not free of the taint… I'm selfish enough to still keep my position though that one mistake should have ousted me… I can't kill this kit but I might have a handhold against his ambitions should he have any…_

The darkness of the hallway was a foil to the sable fur and darker plans. 

*** 

Aya and Crawford were came out of the meeting with Weiß with a workable plan for taking Schwartz away from Estet's control and an assurance that the Weiß redhead would always be welcome to visit the flower shop as he wished. 

_: So shall we use one of the plans? : _Ayan said to Crawford. He was back in his kitsune form and couldn't transform back to his human-fox form for some time. 

_: It depends, Ayan-chan. : _Crawford said as the wings of vision took him into another place and time. 

Struggling bodies, black kitsune surrounding him, a nogitsune in particular staring at him with grim purpose. 

Then the vision faded into black. So they haven't heard the last of Ran's nogitsune kin haven't they? 

Well, well, when it rains it pours. Estet is trouble enough all by itself… 

**~ Owari? ~**

**Author's Notes:**

Silrayn: That's all folks! Mwuahahahahahahahahaha.   
Aya-kitsune: Silrayn's gone nuts o.O   
Brad-kitsune, Iraka-kitsune & Luren-kitsune: *nods their heads and starts to yank Silrayn by the tail away*   
Shan-kitsune: *stands around looking at what's happening* I think Mama's just so cute when she plays that way.   
Silrayn: I'm going to rule the world. Mwahahaha. *being yanked by the kitsune away* 

**~ Naw, just kidding, I maybe evil, but I'm not that evil! TBC ~**

**Author's Notes (Really!):**

Silrayn: Gomen folks, but Ayan still running away with the epilogue.   
Aya-kitsune: *running with pieces of paper in his mouth in the background*   
Silrayn: Hey, give me that!   
Aya-kitsune: *shakes his cute-as-a-button head* Hn.   
Silrayn: Oi, Shan!   
Shan-kitsune: What is it, Mama?   
Silrayn: Don't call me, Mama! *looks horrified as she bops the large black kitsune on the head*   
Shan-kitsune: Okay, what is it…*in a whisper* Mama?   
Silrayn: What did you say?   
Shan-kitsune: Nothing.   
Silrayn: Oh, whatever. You can have Ayan.   
Shan-kitsune: Wai! *starts chasing Aya cooing all the while* I'm going to make you so happy, Ayan-chan.   
Silrayn: *under her breath* scary! O.o   
Aya-kitsune: Brad help! *yelps as he runs away from Shan*   
Silrayn: I told Brad-kitsune to take a hike *gloats while picking up the pieces of paper Aya dropped*   
Aya-kitsune: *runs towards silrayn chomping on her wolfy tail as Shan tries to pick him up*   
Shan-kitsune: *tries to get the red kitsune off of the tail by yanking at him*   
Silrayn: Yeowch! ^^; My tail is not for tugging. *whacks them both*   
Aya-kitsune & Shan-kitsune: @_@   
Silrayn: *sweatdrops* 

* Suggestions are very, very welcome since I am not very sure how to handle Alshe at the moment. The additional plot bunnies in these parts are attributable to Jacque Koh. 

* fic updates are going to be spasmodic from here on since i have a thesis to do... @_@, that's why all the thank yous since i may not be able to do so later...   
  



	10. Ku: fatherly interlude

**Kitsune Ku**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION

**I. fatherly interlude**

"Schuldich, stop yanking the ears and tails of my clan mates they're getting annoyed." Crawford said as he sat down on the makeshift couch in their human sized quarters in Rtow pack den. 

Rtow was Iraka's home pack and now Crawford's. It's been a two days since he and the rest of Schwartz had moved in with the pack. Nagi seemed to fit enough though rather disgruntled at being treated as another kit, albeit a strangely shaped one. Schuldich's tricks earned himself a place with the rest of the pack though pulling ears and tails were definitely a no-no. 

"Aw, but what am I going to do next? I'm bored." Schuldich said, teasingly. 

"Why? You've had other tricks to play and they certainly appreciate them." 

"That takes the fun out it besides, Youji's not here." 

_: I take it that you're serious about Youji then? :_

Crawford was surprised at the fatherly tone in Ayan's voice. Ayan had also hopped onto Schuldich's beanbag couch to gaze into the telepath's face. 

_: Aa, Ayan. :_ Schuldich said, sounding uncharacteristically serious as he ruffled the little red fox's ears. 

_: Good. : _Ayan nuzzled Schuldich and pulled himself up to give the German a lick on the nose. 

_Good, good, I won't have a problem with Schuldich snatching Ayan anymore. He's not going to sleep around and risk the chance that Ayan would say something to Kudou._

The feeling of relief evaporated when he saw Ayan snuggle at Schuldich making murping sounds as he did so. 

_But I wish my Ayan wouldn't get so close to him too much…_

Crawford popped into his blue kitsune form.   
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  


_: Ayan, it's time for a cuddle. :_ Crawford said to Aya as he put his forepaws up on the couch and looked at him. His big head looked kind of strange to Aya who craned his neck back to look at him. 

_What is the matter with him, it seems that every time I get comfortable in Schuldich's lap… he always tries to pick me up for a cuddle._

_: Hai. :_

_Oh well, I love him…and cuddling is fun with fur._

*** 

_: Surprise, Ran-kit! :_

_: Luren-tousan, Manx-baasan what are you doing here? :_ Aya said surprised. He was sitting on their quarters' living room couch when Luren got into the room followed by Manx. Schuldich and Nagi were out with some clan members who decided to show the two humans the sights of their lands and Crawford was out with a hunting group. Both were wearing their kitsune forms and being carried by larger Thunder Clan members who absentmindedly put them down before going about their business. 

_: We decided to visit our new in-laws. : _Manx put in. 

_: Though we were hard put to walk here on our own. It seemed less of a struggle to let them carry us. :_

_: Oh, now that you mentioned it, Luren-tousan, why were you being carried by those other kitsune? :_

_: It's the racial peculiarity to be obliging to kits. With our size we are often mistaken for one by the larger kindred. They give us lick baths, ask us where we're going and give us a lift. At least it's a cure for sore small paws. : _Luren said sheepishly. 

_: But it can be inconvenient at times. : _Manx added. 

_: Aa. : _Aya said rather forlornly. He hated being treated as a kit especially by his lover. 

_: So how is Crawford treating you? :_

_: Well enough. He takes really good care of me like a father should and doesn't take advantage of me. That is when I'm not in human form as per agreement. :_

_: Why aren't you happier, then? :_

_: I'm just disappointed that I couldn't go with him today, that's all. He's out hunting. :_

_: Don't be in a hurry to grow up, Ran-kit. There's lots of time for that later. So, tell me about it? :_ Luren said, hopping onto the couch to sit beside his son though not too close knowing the kit might not appreciate it. 

_: I--I don't want to talk about it. :_

_: Now, now, I missed most of your childhood. I want to know more about you, Ran-kit. :_

_:I'm still a child remember. : _Aya said. He resented the way this kitsune seem to presume upon him. 

_I know he has the right but…he left me to be raised by others. He shouldn't think that I would open up to him as soon as he asked me. Now be fair, Ran…_

_: Not where it counts. : _Luren replied, rather sadly. 

_: Ran, give your father a chance. : _Manx said. 

_: Why should I, Marika-baasan? He had less to do with me than you ever did? :_

_: Because he is your father, kit and even when he behaved in an inconsiderate manner, you still have to acknowledge the kinship. :_

_: I guess he is at that. : _Ran said grudgingly, his voice trailing off. 

_: Hn. Tell me about my mother…: _Ran said finally after a long contemplative silence. 

_: Your mother was, as you know, a princess of Void lands and priestess of Inari. She was a large black kitsune but delicate and graceful for all her size… I was a wandering kitsune when I first met her at the edge of nogitsune clan lands… She had been hunting for the temple…_

Ran settled down on his paws for the story. 

_: So your mother picked me up and then she said that such a plucky little one shouldn't be out in the woods all alone… :_

And so the rest afternoon passed with Luren telling Ran stories of his kitsune mother. 

*** 

Luren watched as the kit finally settled beside him with a happy sigh. He wanted to cuddle the little one like he would a kit that age but that might upset Ran. He couldn't blame the kit for feeling skeptical of Luren's motives. He had been estranged from the kit for far too long. Besides, Ran-kit thought the human family to be his family not these newly known relatives of the four footed variety. Narrating how he and Reshka met would made him relive those potentially hurtful memories once again, the ghost warmth of the kit was comforting in it's own way… 

*** 

_: What's a tiny kit doing alone in the woods like this? Wandered off from a caravan, little one? : _A resonant mental voice said. 

_: I am not a kit. :_ Luren said in an annoyed tone of voice as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. 

_: My mistake, but what is a Fire Clan kitsune doing on the border of Void Clan lands? : _A big sable head came into view as he was lowered to the ground again. 

_: I am a wanderer. : _Luren said stiffly. He hadn't forgiven the presumption of the nogitsune. 

_: I'm sorry, wanderer…: _The nogitsune said gliding into the clearing with a grace that took Luren's breath away. Then he remembered that he hadn't fully introduced himself and almost blushed at his bad manners. 

_: Luren of the Fire Clan. :_

_:Reshka of Inari's Temple. :_

_: My lady. Princess…:_

_: I left that title long ago when I joined Inari's temple. :_

_: But you are ever of royal birth. Even the Lady would not insist that you renounce the title you are born with, had you joined Her service. :_

_: That is why I tool vows at Inari's instead. I have no ambitions whatsoever in ruling the Clan. : _The answered pleased Luren who had no such aspirations himself. He also appreciated the carefree spirit behind the words. 

_: Aye. I guess you don't. So what is a priestess of the Trickster God doing in the woods? :_

_: I am hunting. Priest-folk must eat too. Are you going to pay your respects to Inari at our shrine? It will be dark soon. :_

_: I will, my lady. :_

So he had accompanied the nogitsune lady into the shrine she had served in and he didn't leave again for a very long time. 

*** 

Luren remembered those happy days in the temple, of playing catch-me-catch-you in the moonlight after Reshka's duties were done. Of the days when they roamed the woodlands to hunt and to marvel at things that were suddenly new. Love made the world a place of wonder and newness it seemed then. And he remembered this as he told the story to his son. He finally glossed over that one last moment he had seen Reshka and their other kit, they had been gutted on the pike of one of the nogitsune. Bittersweet memories that made his eyes glisten with tears though he was glad to have the chance to remember them again and to tell them to this one surviving kit. Ran-kit was such an adorable little one that Luren knew that Reshka would have been proud of this son of theirs had she had the chance to see the kit. The kit had all the kitsune virtues, loyalty and mischief, and a charm that was hard to deny. 

_Yes, I am lucky indeed to have some time with Ran-kit…_

Luren smiled inwardly as Ran-kit snuggled by him instinctively as the kit lost wariness. 

_We could almost be a normal father and son…_

*** 

Crawford got into the cave and saw Ayan talking to another red kitsune. The scent told him it was Ayan's Luren-tousan who was probably visiting to see how Ayan was doing. He felt a hint of jealousy as he saw them so close together. 

_: Ayan, I'm home. :_ Crawford said, he grabbed Ayan by the neck ruff and pulled him on to another couch. He then started to give his mate a lick bath while Manx looked on with amusement. 

_: Crawford, kindly remember that Ran-kit needs to spend some time with me. I am his father, after all. : _Luren looked decidedly miffed at being preempted. 

_He doesn't look much of a threat like that. He's too cute rather like Ayan…_

Crawford thought amusedly. He lost his annoyance once he got his Ayan away from the other kitsune. 

_: I know that. :_ The silent kitsune-speak was quite useful in times like this when one had one's mouthful of kit fur. Aya was fairly purring under Crawford's ministrations. 

_: Then why did you take him away from me when we were just starting to be comfortable? :_

_: I don't know what you mean by that. I always take Ayan for a cuddle when I get back home. :_

_: A creature of habit, aren't you? :_

The sarcasm in the tone made Crawford's hackles rise and it didn't help that the other adult male's hackles were already up. He didn't want to fight his father-in-law but he wasn't about to kowtow to the small red fox either. 

_: Males and their domination games! Look at what it is doing to the kit. :_ Manx huffed intruding on the potentially disastrous moment. 

Crawford looked at Ayan and saw that the kit was looking at him and Luren with uncertainty in his eyes. 

_: Sorry, kitling. :_ Luren said contritely as he hopped to the couch to where Ayan was to give the other red a lick of affection, which threatened to raise Crawford's hackles. 

_: Sorry, Ayan. : _Crawford said grudgingly. He still didn't like his father in law. 

_: It's male hormones talking. Kitsune males are always possessive of their mates in front of other males. : _Manx said lightly into his head. 

_: Aa. :_ That explained a great deal. Though he still didn't like Luren and probably never would. 

_: Oh well, females are more sensible. :_ Manx sighed privately into Crawford's mind. 

_: Why bug me with it? And not your brother, he's being oh-so-amicable. :_

_: He knows. : _Manx said, sounding smugly at the implied "And you don't". 

Sometimes he hated being a new at this… 

*** 

_: I am Kizie of the Void Clan, I hear that my little cousin and his mate-to-be had taken shelter with this pack? :_ Asked a sable female kitsune as she sat patiently by the outpost of the Rtow Pack. 

_: I am Asel of the Thunder Clan. I must check within the pack den. Will you wait? :_ Said the blue kitsune that sat in the little stone outpost. 

_: Aye, I will. : for as long as it takes._

**~TBC~**

  
****

**Author's Notes:******

Brad-kitsune: Ayan's spending the afternoon with me!   
Luren-kitsune: Ran-kit is going with me! *tries to pick up Ran ending up head over tail*   
Brad-kitsune: hahaha! *grabs Ayan-kitsune by the scruff*   
Ayan-kitsune:I feel like a stuff toy between two children! @.@****

**Japanese Glossary:**

Rai - thunder   
Ku - air, void etc. 

From http://users.cg.yu/ronin/glossary.html 


	11. Ku: rumors a-flying

****   
**Acknowledgements:** Thanks to Jacque-san for reminding me of Farfie. The scene with Ayan-Crawford sweetness is dedicated to you. =^____^=   
  
  


**Kitsune Ku**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION

**II. rumors a-flying**

_: …And you are much too thin, you should be drinking milk, Aya. :_

_: Kizie-baasan! So what brings you here? : _Ayan said as he kneaded Crawford's fur with his tiny paws as he licked the fur behind Crawford's ears. He sounded relieved to see someone who might distract Manx and Luren for awhile. They were alternately cajoling Aya to do things that they thought would be good for him while he tried obsessively to avoid listening to them. 

_Some things never change…people no matter what the shape still don't like listening to sermons…_

Crawford thought amusedly. He rather liked the way Ayan was massaging his back with small paws and the tiny licks were relaxing him. He didn't feel bothering to look at another of his in-laws. 

The question was echoed around the room by the other kitsune. 

_: I heard some disturbing rumors in the Clan that I thought you might want to hear, Ran-kit. :_ Kizie said, giving everyone else a quizzical glance. 

_: Ah, Kizie-baasan this is Marika-baasan and Luren-tousan of the Fire Clan. And this is Kizie-baasan of the Void Clan. : _

_: Aye. It seems that it would also be of interest to you, Luren. :_ Kizie inclined her head at the male red kitsune that was trying to get lick in. 

_: What rumors, Lady Kizie? : _Luren asked courteously. 

_: Rumors that the Princess Reshka is alive and being held in a small shrine to the Lady. : _

_: 'Kaasan is what? :_

_: There have been rumors to that effect ever since the massacre. What makes you think that this is any different? Besides why would you be giving us this news now? :_ Manx asked, suspiciously. 

_: Yes, Marika's right. :_ Luren seconded. 

Crawford kept quiet, not knowing enough of the issue to add anything. 

_: Because this time there are witnesses to substantiate the rumor. It is said that the Chief himself has ordered that his sister be transferred to the palace den next month. :_

_: What! That bastard's going to get his paws on my Reshka again! :_ Luren was livid with rage. 

_: Luren, calm yourself, it's just a rumor. :_

_: Aye, as Kizie has said it was just a rumor. : _Manx said blandly. 

_: Why are you trying to stop me? You know how important this is… :_

_: Because this doesn't feel right. I am an Initiate of the Lady, you know our shrines are in constant communication. Word of this would have gotten out sooner or later. No one can keep a secret this long. :_

_: Aye. :_ Luren said grudgingly. 

_: Where is this supposed shrine? :_

_: In the East River Valley, deep in the Forest of the Dark Wold. :_

_: Nay! : _Manx exclaimed before she managed to stop herself. 

_: What is it, Marika? :_ Luren asked, his voice sounded tense. 

_He must have some idea to what this is leading to…_

Crawford looked up at that as Ayan's paws dug into his back. His lover must have picked up on the unspoken unease in the room. 

_: There is no shrine in that place. There was a den of the Void Clan…though. : _Manx said slowly. 

_: Aa and a den reputed to have been abandoned for as long as known history. : _Kizie corroborated. 

_: So what, it must be isolated then, a good place to hide a prisoner. :_ Luren said. 

_: You're not getting the point, brother-mine. No one knows why that den was abandoned, no one. :_ Manx said patiently. 

_: So for all we know the den could still exist. :_ The desperate hope in Luren's voice was so poignant that Crawford hated to break it but he knew what the two vixens were pointing out. 

_This could be what my warning vision was all about…_

_: They're right, it maybe a trap. : _Crawford interjected into the conversation. 

*** 

_Reshka's alive! _

The thought thundered in Luren's mind so that he had a hard time thinking of anything else. He couldn't understand what they were doing sitting around arguing when they could be going on to do something about it. Then he heard that good for nothing son-in-law of his object to the rescue. His hackles went up. 

_: And what is it to you, Schwartz? : _

_: What kind of question is that? Ayan is my mate. :_ Crawford answered so smugly that Luren nearly attacked him there and then. 

_: Can I come with you on the rescue, Luren-tousan? :_ Ran-kit asked breaking the tension in the room. 

_: No! : _Both Crawford and Luren said, united for one moment in protectiveness. 

The temporary halt in the conversation gave Marika the opening she undoubtedly was waiting for. 

_: Males! Why don't you agree to disagree and let's get on with the discussion? We've got other things to worry about. : _Luren almost cringed as his sister's voice shouted loudly in his mind and his mind alone. 

_: Sorry, Marika. :_

_: You should apologize to Crawford. He's right you know. It must be a trap. That place is pretty isolated from the rest of the kitsune settlements and witnesses. :_

_: Aye. :_ Luren said grudgingly. 

_As if he actually thinks Ran-kit as anything other than a rather convenient pet! Besides being his sex partner that is. He probably doesn't love the youngling at all! _

_: Well. Apologize. : _Marika said with impatience. 

_: Crawford…I apologize. I know how concerned you are about Ran-kit's safety. : _The curl of sarcasm in the end of the statement was so obvious that it raised the blue kitsune's hackles. 

_: I accept your apology. :_ Crawford said, civilly enough though it looked like he was also thinking of attacking Luren. 

_Just you try… Not that you could without losing Ran-kit's affections…_

*** 

Ran listened to the adults and knew that Crawford and Luren was about to quarrel and so had intervened. 

_If that's what happens when male kitsune mature, I think I'd rather stay a kit, thank you… Luren-tousan seems to lose his common sense in testosterone poisoning, or whatever is the foxy equivalent._

_: By the way Marika-baasan, can you tell me how Fire Clan kitsune can move faster than their legs can carry them. I just remembered the incident when Luren-tousan got me away from Iraka-tousan and Brad. He managed to carry me and cover a fair distance. I think I might need to learn the method soon if I can with this new trouble coming in. :_

_: Aren't you even a bit concerned about your 'kaasan? :_ Manx asked. 

_: Aa, I am but something feels off about this. I don't think that my mother's alive. This feels like a trap if anything else. :_

_: You're right about that. This really doesn't feel right. You think fast on your feet and you haven't dulled your assassin's instincts, Ran-kit. I like that. Okay, I'll teach you the trick when I can get you away from these Out-Clansmen, tomorrow. We'll just have to make our excuses and find a secluded place to ward. :_

_: Aa, Marika-baasan. :_

*** 

_: Is the rumors why you came here, Kizie-baasan? : _Ran-kit asked Kizie as everyone started to discuss how to go about verifying the rumor. 

_: No, I also wanted to see you again, little kit. So how is he treating you? : _Kizie said sincerely, as she deflected the question neatly. 

_Well, it's almost the truth… _

_: Very well, thank you. :_ The kit said while he licked and massaged Crawford's back. 

_: Are you really happy with him? :_

_And how could you be? Perverted fox wanting a kit like you for a mate… _

_: Aa. I am. He spoils me. :_ Ran said, cocking his head cutely over Crawford's blue furry ears. 

_: I am glad to hear that. :_ Kizie said, though her teeth gritted at the thought. 

_Why everyone tolerates this situation is beyond me, well, it's going to change and soon…_

*** 

Meanwhile in the hills of Naruddo… 

"Hurting blue fluff balls hurt God." 

Schuldich noted that Farfarello had just passed from one of his more lucid moments to one more dangerous. 

_Uh-oh that could be trouble…_

"Farf, I don't think that's a good idea." Schuldich said springing from where he was irritating their guide by tugging on the fox spirit's ear. The white haired lunatic was starting to run towards the one of the others. 

"Definitely not a good idea, Farfie." Nagi said, ready to use is his telekinesis on the man if he tried anything against their hosts. 

_: Don't do anything. : _A silvery voice said in his ear, he looked at Avri the blue kitsune, he knew the voice belonged to. 

_: But. : _

_: Nagi-chan, don't interfere unless it goes bad. I think they want to teach Farf a lesson about chasing "fluff balls". :_

_: Right on in one. I don't know why Ran-kit didn't choose you for a mate instead of Brad-san. You seem to have a kitsune's appreciation for jokes. :_

Farfarello was running around the trees chasing another blue "fluff ball". The blue kitsune was coyly avoiding him, letting him come within two meters then running way. He crashed through the brush, ignoring the pain when he inadvertently caught on a thorn-bush. 

_: That again. Ayan doesn't have a sense of humor. He's pretty serious, normally. It's just that the transition's got him turned around. :_ Schuldich didn't need to answer that statement since it had been told to him so many times that he was heartily sick of it but he decided that this time he would. It was already causing friction between him and Crawford. 

_…and I'd think less of him if it didn't, being told unworthy of your lover is a pain in the butt…_

_: The more he should value you for it. :_

_: Senra! I have a mate back on Earth. :_ Schuldich said in outrage, tugging hard at the ear he had in his hand. 

_: Faithful as a kitsune, too. : _The female retorted serenely. 

_: Argh! You kitsune, what's wrong with you? Couldn't you be happy with having Crawford and Ayan together? Why not be happy for them? :_

Suddenly, the blue kitsune Farf was chasing ran with breakneck speed into a thick copse of trees. 

_: We are, it's just that you fit in much, much more with us than Crawford. One would think you're a kitsune in human guise. : _

Farfarello ran in between two large trees and streaks of blue electricity arched between them to shock the white haired man unconscious. 

_I knew that was going to happen…_

Schuldich sighed and let the remark go. 

_: Oy, are you guys going to help me wake him up? :_

"Bright flashing lights hurt God." Farfarello said, standing up before Schuldich could help him up. He immediately started to chase the nearest kitsune. 

_: Doesn't he ever learn. :_ Senra asked Schuldich as a repeat performance of the shock occurred. 

"Farfarello can't feel any pain and does everything to hurt God. We'd appreciate it if you don't kill him." Nagi replied for both of them. 

_: Don't worry we'll shock him unconscious then so that you can bring him to his cell until the mood passes. :_ Avri assured them and proceeded to do exactly that. 

_: You really fit our way of life you know. : _Senra said in Schuldich's mind as they went home perched on a horse-drawn cart where Farfarello laid still. 

_: But I am human with a human lover waiting at home. :_

_: Aye, but at least consider it. :_

Schuldich sighed. 

_Do they know the meaning of "No"?_

*** 

_: Brad-chan, can I have another side. I've licked this one clean. :_ Ayan said hopping off Crawford's back. 

Crawford rolled over his side to let Ayan lick what he wanted. 

Ayan began to lick Crawford's tummy with long leisurely strokes. Then he gave Crawford a mischievous look and started on his nipples. 

It was disconcerting. Crawford remembered that the night before when Ayan was in human form and did the same thing. Suddenly, he felt a stirring in his groin and a heavy musk began to rise into the room. 

_: Hentai! : _

Marika and Kizie both grabbed for Ayan's neck ruff simultaneously. Kizie managed to get there because she was closer and larger and pulled Ayan off of Crawford. Crawford felt that if he had been in human form, he'd have been red as Ayan's fur. He noticed though that Marika was glowering at the sleek black kitsune. 

_: Kitsune females are more reasonable, ne? :_ Crawford said privately into Marika's mind before she could join Kizie in scolding Crawford. 

_: Aa. Just that, only there is something about this Kizie that's not quite right. :_

_: Agent instincts? :_ Crawford had healthy respect for Manx even if they had worked for opposing sides. She had been a good agent to rise in the ranks of Kritiker and that was no mean feat, he knew working for Estet. 

_: Maybe. :_

_: Aa. : _

_Kizie bears close watching then…_   
  
  


**~TBC~**

**Author's Note: **

* Cuddling Ayan-kitsune is a little problematic. ^^; He bites. *wags wolfy tail waving Ayan-kitsune who is attached to it with his teeth*   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Ku: rescue on the way

**Kitsune Ku**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION 

**III. rescue on the way**

_: So we've packed and ready to go? :_ Iraka said as he entered the guest quarters. When he found out about the 

_:Aa, except for Marika, I don't know where she's gone. Are we going to leave Schwartz here? :_ Luren still distrusted the lot of them and didn't like leaving them with a decent pack like Rtow. 

_: Aa. They'll help keep the pack safe. My pack's been in peace for too long none of them have the skills to fight much. :_

_: Are you sure? :_

_: Aa. :_

_: I'm here. :_

_: Where have you been, Marika? :_ Luren said testily. 

_: Off to the human world. Guess who I brought with me? : _It was a rather a moot question considering that there was five humans already crowding into the large corridors behind her, looking at the sculptures on the walls with genuine fascination. 

_: Weiß, why bring more humans into this, Marika? Kitsune should be sufficient a force. :_

_: Because these humans have more familiarity with fighting than any kitsune we have on hand. You know that the Void kitsune have more combat experience than any of the Thunder tribe and our tribe is too far away from these lands to make a difference since you're in such a hurry to have this over and done with. What do expect me to do? They can be trusted with Ran's safety. :_

"Ummm, shouldn't we be settling in, Manx?" Hidaka asked, he was undoubtedly feeling the rising tension in the room. 

_: Aa, you will be staying in the quarters here in the human-sized West Wing. I already talked with the pack leader. :_

_: I hope you know what you're doing, Marika. They don't have any powers. : _Though it wasn't that lack that bothered Luren it was a convenient enough excuse. 

_: Ah, but they withstood Schwartz didn't they? : _The pride in Manx's voice was very much evident. In a sense, they were her "kits" after all. Born and raised in bloody communion of the assassins' trade. 

_: They are killers. : _Luren's distrust finally winning out. 

_: Aa. But they defend their own. :_

_: Okay, Marika, you win. : _There were no alternatives unless he wanted to stay here all week arguing. Marika was always the stubborn one, and from the set of her thoughts, she was adamant about this. 

"Oh, how kawaii!" Omi crowed. Luren looked up from his supply checking to see blue Crawford-kitsune carrying a resigned Ran-kit by the scruff of neck. Ran-kit stuck his tongue at the words, looking, if possibly, cuter as he did so. 

***

_: Ayan gets sore paws. :_ Crawford said as he led the rest of Weiß into the wing. He had wisely ordered Schwartz to stay in their rooms while the additional personnel were settling in. He didn't want any fights to break out now that they were technically on the same side though he did arrange for Youji to share Schuldich's living space. 

"Youji, koi, I'm glad you're here." Schuldich purred, as they got in the living space. He stood up from where he was reclining on the couch. 

Crawford sighed, trust Schuldich to disobey orders. 

"Aa, things'll be interesting I think, this is the first time we're fighting on the same side." Youji said in the same tone, dropping his bags to give the Schwartz redhead a hug. Schuldich took advantage shamelessly and drew them both to curl up rather like a couple of kitsune on the couch to the goggling stares of Omi and Ken. 

"Can I hold Ayan for awhile?" Ken asked, dropping his own bags to earn a glare from Crawford. The blue kitsune was still carrying the resigned smaller fox in his mouth. 

"Is that Ayan or have you had him replicated as a stuff toy and keep the original in a safe somewhere? He's rarely that docile." 

_: Youji! : _That came out as a wail of indignant rage, and from what Crawford could feel from the voice, a death glare. That set everyone laughing as Crawford could well imagine the Fujimiya Death Glare on the foxy kit face. He didn't join them, he knew how exasperated Ran was as it was. 

With a mighty twist, Aya got loose from Crawford and started to go for Youji. 

"Just teasing, Ayan. Ouch…" Youji yelped as Aya nipped him on the leg. 

"Ayan, be a good little fox and let go of Youji." Schuldich said amused by the fox's and his lover's antics. 

Crawford watched the proceedings with a wary eye. 

_If that blonde galoot thinks he's going to hurt my Ayan for giving him that well earned bite, he's got another thing coming… Stuff toy, indeed._

_: Hmph, I am not that docile. : _Ayan grumped as a delighted Ken lifted him up and cuddled him. 

Everyone cracked smiles at that. Ayan always had that effect on people. He looked adorable with his small foxy head, soft furry ears and three tails twitching in indignation. Crawford frowned, his tail swishing annoyed. He didn't want anyone else cuddling his Ayan-chan and Ken was nuzzling the little fur ball, chucking the little red fox under the chin. 

_I did have to learn not to snap at them every time since they're going to live with us and fight with us for a time… Who am I kidding? Even Schuldich prompts the same reaction from me when he cuddles Ayan and I know he has Kudoh… _

*** 

Aya cuddled up to Ken, purring a bit. He missed the ex-soccer player. Ken and Omi had been rather nice to him in his foxy form. He rubbed his head under Ken's chin and nestled his tails into comfty positions on Ken's lap. 

"I never though I'd say this but Crawford-san's as kawaii as as Ayan when he's wagging his tail like that." Omi said, looking as if he'd want to pick Crawford up as Ayan looked up from where he sat on Ken's lap to give the blond a look of astonishment. 

_: He's not wagging his tail, chibi. He's twitching with jealous fury. Hormones…you understand…:_

"What would he have to be jealous of. Ken's not a kitsune." Omi asked, eyes glowing with puzzlement. 

_: Being male is enough it seems. :_

_: Shut up, Schuldich! : _Crawford was definitely stressed. He stalked over to Omi and allowed the young Weiß member a few fur rubs. He was gritting his teeth. 

_: Brad-chan? :_ Aya asked, he perked his ears up and looked at his lover with concern. 

_: It's nothing, Ayan-chan. :_ Brad said, striving to keep his voice even. It was all the blue kitsune could do not to shock Ken out of his mind literally. Ayan was proud to see that, though the need for such patience annoyed him. It wasn't as if he flirted with any other person other than his big blue fox of a lover. Cuddle yes, flirting no… It was what he liked best in this form: that people cuddled him on their own initiative rather than expecting him to do it first. It got around his fear of rejection rather handily. Besides, his fur took rather well to being rubbed. He loved it and though it looked like it was slowly turning into an explosive situation with Crawford as a walking powder keg. 

_Didn't Manx-baasan say something about it? Yeah, must remember hormones…But still…_

_: Brad-chan.:_

_: What, Ayan-chan? : _Crawford asked, he padded close to the couch where Ken was sitting on. 

_: Nothing. :_ Aya just didn't know what to say to defuse the situation and that changed his mind about bringing it to the surface. 

_I would have to give up on going along with any male whatsoever, at the least…_

"Are they settled in already? Nagi Naoe, we'll be working together this time. I've left Farfie all tied up as you've instructed, Crawford." Nagi introduced himself as he came in by the door the led deeper in the wing. The assurance that Farfarello couldn't wander in at any time greatly relieved the other Weiß members and triggered a spate of re-introductions. 

"I'm Schuldich, shall we get to know each other again, lover?" Schuldich said, breaking the cheerful mood. Youji blushed at that and the gathering broke up. 

_I hope everyone can keep it civilized around here…_

*** 

: The den was right here. : Marika said pointing on the map with her nose. They had been travelling for four days into the wilderness borders of Ku territory. Kizie was absent, hunting meat for them since they were close enough to the Void territory to get them in trouble if they did. Five other Thunder kitsune sat around the map along with Iraka. 

_: So it's going to be a bare three weeks before we can get there. We really need to get going. I can't understand why we can't cut cross-country. : _Luren replied, impatiently. They had been making slow progress since Marika insisted that they should stay away from Void kitsune. 

_: Aa. How many times do I have to tell you? We don't know who's in league with Alshe. For all we know… :_

_Marika's voice trailed off but Luren caught her meaning._

_: Hai, I can't understand why you're so paranoid of Kizie. :_

_: I don't trust her. :_

_: Why not? Hasn't she shown enough concern over Ran-kit to convince you? :_

_She has but that worries me most of all. She doesn't seem to accept Crawford as easily as Ran's chosen mate. Ku blood does make a kitsune rather unstable…_

_: You're trust her only because she's backed your concerns over Ran being left with Crawford. Besides, you've a weakness for big dark females. : _

_: Marika! :_

Luren and the other blue kitsune were hard put not to laugh at that. 

_: It is obvious where Ran-kit's gotten that particular indignant intonation of voice. : _Iraka replied, chortling as the talk turned to lighter matters. 

Manx hoped that Luren's trust wouldn't betray them to the devious Alshe. 

*** 

_: Ayan, would you like to learn how to hunt? :_ Crawford asked, after another day of hanging around Schwartz and Weiß. They still kept Farfarello tied up so the rest of Weiß felt safe enough to mingle with Schwartz. They had also taken turns and shifts to guard the little kit from the attack that had not come. Crawford was feeling rather claustrophobic by the arrangement and wanted fresh air. 

_Ayan probably feels the same judging from this mess…_

Ayan leaped out of Ken's arms and into giggling Omi's yet again. The living room resembled a disaster area. The couches were in different positions. Wood and leather toys were scattered all over the room. The little red fox had been a very hyper bundle since Weiß came in to baby sit him with Schwartz. He jumped from couch to couch to arm to arm without discrimination. Snuggling, playing and leaving with equal abandon, Ayan kept them hopping to keep up with him. That energy would be better used in some sort of useful training. 

_What could happen to him if we all looked out for him?_

_: Aa, I'd love too. : _Ayan said, leaping up to land splay-legged on the floor but doing a little hopping motion to right himself in front of blue Crawford-kitsune. Crawford was struck anew by his openness. He certainly wasn't very Aya-like in this form. 

: After you drink your milk. : Manx had made Crawford promise that Ayan would suckle milk from the Rtow lactating females just as any kit his age would. 

_: Aw, do I have too? :_ Ayan pouted. 

_: Aa. I'll carry you there. : _

_: I don't think so. :_ Ayan had become sensitive to being carried since Youji's 'stuff toy' crack. 

_: You're still sore about being called a stuff toy, aren't you? :_

_: Hmph! :_

_: Let's make a deal then. I won't carry you once we're training and let you romp a bit if you allow me or another to carry you otherwise. :_

_: I guess you will carry me around while you train me if I don't agree. :_

_: Aa. :_

_: I agree then. : _So Crawford carried Ayan to the nursery where the rest of the little red fox's age-mates spent their time.   
  
  


*** 

_: Hello, little kit. Nice to see that you're at last suckling. :_ Senra said. Her blue eyes held enough reproach to make Crawford duck his head. 

_: I don't want to drink milk. :_ Aya grumped, wrinkling his nose sulkily as blue Crawford-kitsune put him down where there was a vacant milk nipple. 

_: According to your Marika-baasan, you have to, if you want to grow any larger. : _Crawford lectured. 

_: Braaaad! :_ Aya wailed, knowing that his lover was playing with his desire to grow just a little bit bigger. 

_: Well, she's right. You'll end up small if you don't get properly fed. :_

_: Is the kit being stubborn? :_ Senra interjected. 

_: Aa. :_

_: Am not! :_

_: Never mind, I see the problem. Got you wrapped around his tiny tails doesn't he? :_

Crawford didn't dignify it with an answer, which to Aya was answer enough. He suckled a bit and then put on his most wide-eyed kit look. 

_: All done. Can we go now? :_

_: No kitling, finish drinking your milk first. : _Senra said gently but firmly. 

Aya gave the blue female kitsune a dirty look before suckling again. 

_: See no problem, Crawford-san. I'll be delighted to tell everyone here to expect you around the same time? To make sure that the kitling gets his milk? : _Senra added, it wasn't really a question. 

_: Aa. :_

_Life just got a little less fun… _

*** 

_: Where did Ayan go? :_ Crawford asked Ken as they all peered through the bushes. After getting Ayan-kit to nurse, Crawford had taken Ayan to the nearby glade to train in hunting. Ken and Omi had gone along, ostensibly as bodyguards. 

"He was here only a few seconds ago. I looked away only for an instant. Omi?" Ken said, puzzled. 

"I saw him chase a squirrel, he must have gone a bit farther into the brush. He did promise not to wander off, did he?" Omi said, worriedly, on the other side of the clearing. 

_: Aa. And there are no dangerous animals this side of the woods. : _Crawford said to reassure himself as well as the Weiß members. He sniffed at the last area where he had seen Ayan-kit though he couldn't make out from the complex aromas where Ayan had gone. It was like trying to pick out one instrument out of an orchestra. 

_: I think we should go for reinforcements. :_ Crawford fretted. 

I hope you haven't gotten into any real trouble, Ayan… 

Unnoticed, at the side of the clearing was a large partial paw print… 

**~TBC~**

**Author's Notes:**

Next Chapter: mother? 

Damned black out. I was suppose to post several updates last night. :P   
  
  



	13. Ku: mother?

  


**Kitsune Ku**   
WEIß KREUZ FANFICTION 

**IV. mother?**

Aya wandered friskily in the grass of the woodland clearing trying to catch squirrels. They were rather fast and eluded him most of the time. He could use his flame abilities but didn't want to since he really didn't need the meat. He really felt a little claustrophobic after spending so much time indoors with several worrywarts who tried to baby sit him. It wasn't as if he had suddenly turned harmless. He was an assassin like them, capable of defending himself and he had some abilities. He was especially tempted to give Youji a hot foot just to prove his point but he resisted. He was going to need all the power he had for defending himself if things got out of hand. Then he saw it, a brown rabbit ear twitching just behind the next rise. 

_Wai, I'm going to catch that rabbit…try anyway…_

So off, Aya sprang to towards the twitching ear, ready for another romp with an unsuspecting playmate. It was only after a bit of time when he figured it was farther than he supposed. He had already strayed from the protective circle of Crawford, Ken and Omi and that this rabbit wasn't like what he'd thought it was. 

_Wow, now that's a RABBIT. It's huge… What's with this place? Even the rabbits are bigger than me! Am I destined to be the smallest creature in the entire Mystical Realm? _

The rabbit had a smaller body-head proportion than the regular version and smaller forelegs than hind legs and a long tail that balanced behind. Black eyes looked at Aya curiously. 

_Yikes!_

Aya ran away from the mutant rabbit as fast as his short legs could carry him. However as he ran, he felt something lift him up. He tried to struggle but it was no use. Whatever it was had a secure grip on his neck scruff, and was leaping in huge bounds. 

_Probably the rabbit… What a world, first deadly clan politics, now killer rabbits…I'll never live it down if they have to rescue me out of this one. _

Ran tried to twist out of the grip but it remained firm. His paws dangled ungracefully every which way as he tried to get free but to no avail. Then his struggles became weaker and weaker as the bouncing around made him rather green in the gills. He could not risk flaming the rabbit and getting dropped. 

_: Brad-chan, Ken, Omi, anybody? Help! : _

*** 

_: Marika, what do you think of this track? :_ Avri said, he was a large blue male whose powerful shocks were legendary in the pack. His black paw markings made distinctive "socks" very much unlike Iraka's which were white and blurry. He had eight tails and all them were tipped with the same distinctive black and blue swirl-pattern. They hit a rocky bunch of hills and it had given them a lot more choices in pathways. Though the trails more precarious ones since the slate were perilously unstable in some places, they hid them from the view of Void kitsune. 

_: It's fine. : _Manx said absently. 

_: What's wrong? : _Iraka asked, picking up on the red female's mood. 

: There's something in the air. I don't know what it is. : 

: Oh, it's only sulfur. We're closer to the hot springs. : 

_: Hot springs? It doesn't smell like any hot spring I've ever smelled. : _Manx asked speculatively. 

_: Aa, there are some in the next, slope but there are something in the rocks hereabouts that makes it smell different. : _

_Hmmm, I recognized that scent… That's ammonium nitrate and a large enough quantity to make the whole area stink, interesting, very interesting, indeed…_

_: Can we pass by here when we return to the Rtow Lands? :_

_: Aye. :_

*** 

: Where did you last see him? : _Rerin, a big blue and white kitsune with a "thunder" mark across his middle tail._

_Crawford repressed the worry that was eating at him to be as objective as could be about remembering. He visualized the last time he saw his Ayan._

: He was over there near the edge of clearing chasing squirrels. Ken, Omi? : 

Both Weiß Kreuz members yelled their own affirmatives. Despite the protests of Youji, he wasn't included in the search party. In fact, the inclusion of both Ken and Omi had been subject to debate since the hunting leader of the pack, Rerin, wanted an all-kitsune party. 

_: Senra-- : _

_: I'm on it… :_

All the humans and near-human held their breath as Senra followed the hours old spoor up into a hill and down with the rest of the hunting kitsune trailing after to make sure nothing was lost. 

: There's a strange spoor here and a paw print I've never seen before. Rerin, you better come here and see this. : 

: Aye. : 

The search party all gathered around the paw print, careful not to obscure it. 

: I've never seen it before. : 

_: I--I think I know what made it but better be sure. It's been a century or two but… Let's follow the spoor. : _Weryne volunteered. She was an all-blue kitsune with no markings like Crawford and the oldest of the three hunting kitsune left in the pack. 

: Shouldn't we let the humans return to the pack den? : _Emris asked. He was friendly enough male with blue and streaks of darker blue all over his hide. Though he openly questioned the humans' presence in the search party, it was mostly because of less than acute senses and conspicuousness. Rerin was more distrustful of humans in general._

: No. They can be useful, if my suspicions are borne out. Just let them put on the stinky paste and let us all go. Don't worry Brad-san, Ran-kit is still alive and unharmed. Or at least mostly unharmed. :_ Weryne objected and that was that. She was the only one who knew what they might go up against and so she had the final say._

_Both Ken and Omi grimaced. "Stinky paste" is what the kitsune called a paste of herbs that was used to camouflage their scent from prey. If was rather effective but lived up to it's name, stinky._

Ayan, where have you gotten into now? 

*** 

Aya felt the rabbit's pace slow down and prepared to run away just as soon as he was put down. The rabbit couldn't hold him up forever. They came to another clearing where another rabbit was making a high pitched sound. Aya looked about in his rather bounced-about view and saw there was two small fluffy bundles on the ground. The two unmoving fluffy bundles… 

_Oh, I see…poor Mama Rabbit…_

Aya felt himself pulled close to the grieving mother and decided to nuzzle a bit to comfort the rabbit. He found himself gently lowered into something furry and was surprised to find himself nestled in some kind of pouch in front of the mother rabbit. 

_Huh?_

Comforting was one thing but getting stuck with the rabbits was another! Aya tried to wiggle his way out of the furry prison he had been put in. He managed to pop his head out and get a look at his surroundings. His small heart sank to the tips of his tiny paws when nothing seemed at all familiar and darkness was falling. 

_Maybe I should stay with them for a little while till I can find a way back into the den…_

Aya smelled the fresh milk oozing out in the inside of the furry place he was in and suddenly his tummy growled loudly making the mama rabbit jump up a bit. He then felt a tiny lick on his head and a tiny nudge-nudge motion. 

_Oh, well, I might as well drink up. No telling how long it'll be till I get rescued… _

Aya turned around and began to suckle at the nipple. 

_Hmmm, tastes rather strange…a little less fuller than kitsune milk…but--burp--filling…_

With his stomach filled with 'rabbit's' milk, Aya felt his eyes dropping shut and decided to curl up in the cozy nest he were in. 

_I'll think about getting away from Mama and Papa Rabbit after a nap…_

The bouncing motion that made him seasick before felt like the soothing rock of a cradle and the weary little kit fell asleep after all his tiring adventures. 

*** 

Aya woke to a niggling ache just below his tummy. 

Uh-oh_, I wonder…how I'm going to pee in this enclosed space? _

Aya started to try to struggle out of the pouch, it was comfortable but he didn't want to wet his fur. Then he felt himself being lifted by the scruff neck and slowly lifted out of the pouch into the gloom of the sheltering bush. Slowly, he was being lowered to the ground. He almost couldn't wait until he was on the ground before lifting his leg and spraying. 

_Hey, I'm on the ground. Maybe I can get away--_

Before Aya could even step a bit away, he found himself being lifted again and deposited in the familiar pouch. 

_Oh, well there'll be other times. _

Aya was soon drowsy from the warmth and he curled up again to snooze. 

*** 

In the border of the Rtow pack lands… 

_: Halt, who goes there? :_

: This is Gria of the court entourage of Alshe of Ku. His Highness is with us. He wants to see his nephew and heir. : 

_: Emerie of Rai. I'll ask the pack leader first. : _The blue kitsune said, ducking his head low as he did it. 

_: Aye, we'll wait. :_

*** 

Ken cursed as he smashed through the thick undergrowth. Several irritable kitsune hushed him. Five days of tracking and nights on sleeping on the damp ground were noticeably taking their toll on the search party despite the conjured sleeping bags or maybe because of it. Sleeping bags were no substitute to beds and conjuring the things must be tiring to the kitsune but they didn't dare leave anything that a potential enemy could track them by. 

"I hate to ask this, Rerin-kun but how are we sure we--" Omi started. 

_: There they are. Be careful not to move to noisily or we will have a hard time following them again. :_ Weryne said pointing with a nod at a small clearing in the heavy underbrush, interrupting the wrangling that was sure to erupt next. 

Omi's question was forgotten as everyone zeroed in on peering through the brush. 

Crawford peeped into clearing and saw nothing at first. He looked again, still nothing. He was about to say something. Then he saw a bit of movement in the tall grass and then a couple of heads popped up. 

Are those kangaroos? 

_: I believe that's how you humans call them in your world. : _Weryne said, good-naturedly. Crawford wasn't even aware that he had thought aloud. 

: How sure are you that they have Ayan? They're vegetarians they don't bother other living things. : _Crawford snapped, he was certain now that this had been a goose chase and a complete waste of time and effort. _

Meanwhile Ayan could be getting himself eaten by something bigger than he is, which is almost anything… 

_: Because his scent's still with them. Trust your pack mates. : _Rerin snapped back. Everyone was irritable for sleeping on the damp ground. 

Crawford was about to object to that when a red head popped out of the pouch of the female 'roo. 

_: Ayan! :_

_: Brad-chan? :_

_: Are you all right? They didn't hurt you or anything, did they? Hang on in there, we'll rescue you from those demented… :_

_: I am. Don't hurt Papa and Mama Rabbit! They had been quite nice to me. :_

_: Ayan, those are definitely not rabbits. They're kangaroos. : _Crawford explained reflexively, forgetting worry over obsessive-compulsive pedantry. 

_: Oh, is that why they're so big. I thought they were Mystic Realm rabbits. :_

Everyone cracked a smile at that, especially at the startled expression on Ayan's furry little face that was close enough to be seen. It defused the tension in the party. 

_: No, little kit. The rabbits here are quite normal in size, thank you. :_ Rerin said, still chuckling in his thoughts. 

_: Well, don't hurt Papa and Mama Kangaroo then. They just adopted me into their little family, that's all. : _Ayan huffed. 

_: They've what? We're going to have a hard time of getting you loose from them_. : Weryne exclaimed. 

_: What do you mean by that? : _Rerin asked, curiously, before Crawford could. 

_: Kangaroos have adopted kitsune kits before and it takes a lot of persuasion for the 'roo to let go of them. They think we might eat them for some reason. :_

:_ So how are we going to get Ayan away from them? : _

_: We need the humans here. They recognize us as meat eaters. They'll fight to the death to protect their little joey. Humans are less threatening. They can focus on us while the humans can move into position to snatch the kit. Alternately we can wait for them to sleep but that's rather hard to do. Kangaroos here in the Mystical Realm tend to find some low-lying dens of thick brush with several entrances. :_

_: Why can't we just shock them? :_ Senra asked. 

_: Because we might hurt the little kit. A shock big enough to stun a 'roo might kill Ayan-chan. :_

_: Can't the kit transform to his human form? I heard he could. : _Avri asked, curiously. 

_:Only if he has gathered enough energy to do so and…he hasn't. He can do it only once every two weeks or so. : _Crawford replied curtly. 

_: And why has he done it lately? There hasn't been a need. Oh, I get it… : _Avri said from the way his head was bowed, he was as embarrassed as Crawford who was fairly twitching in place. 

_: So let's get at it… : _Crawford was impatient to get his Ayan-kit away from the insane 'roos before more embarrassing things came to light. 

_Besides… They haven't harmed him yet, doesn't mean they're not going to. Who knows what they could do to him later… they're nutty to kidnap him in the first place._

_***_

_: Marika…do you think it's wise? We're in unfriendly territory. : _Luren asked. They were hiding under a particularly heavy bush as they waited for this most recent argument to finish. Marika was adamant that she needed to consult with the Lady before they got within a few days distance of the Dark Wold Forest. 

_: And whose fault is that? If you hadn't been so eager to leave… I wouldn't have to do this. :_ Marika bit down impatiently. 

_: So do it! :_ Avri and several of the other blue kitsune said in unison. They, at least, looked tired of the wrangling between brother and sister. 

_: I'm doing it whether we like it or not. :_ Marika said, closing her brown eyes, folded her small furry legs, letting her seven tails down as she sank to the earth. 

_: But… :_

_: Shhhh. You don't interrupt a priestess going into a trance. :_ Iraka reprimanded. 

_: I know that. : _Luren replied. 

_: Be quiet all of you. : _Kizie hushed them all. 

Marika barely registered the conversation as she sought that place in her soul where the Lady always resonated. 

_: What is it, little one? :_ The tinkle of the Lady's voice sent a shiver throughout Marika's being. She dimly noticed the sympathetic quiver of her nose and ears. 

_: Should we disturb what lies in the Dark Wold, Mother of All? :_

_: Why ask me that? :_

_: Because…Reshka, my brother's mate, may possibly be held captive somewhere in that old den. _

A thoughtful silence, then… 

_: You have my permission. :_

_: Shall I tell them what to expect? :_

_: No, not until you are certain that the danger is still present. It is too much risk. :_

_: Aye. : _It was grudging agreement. Marika was very unhappy about this. 

_If the hidden histories are even halfway right… We might soon face overwhelming odds, I hate keeping secrets that can get us all killed…_

_: Only when the Gate is active, mind you. : _Admonished the Lady as Her presence faded from Marika's mind. 

_Oh hellfire, we'll just have to cope…_

**~TBC~**

**Author's Notes: **

* Does anyone know what ammonium nitrate is used for? *blinks innocently at everyone* 

* Giant bunny wabbits! What next! Okay, so I just couldn't resist it. 

Tot: She took us out Rabbi-chan but she put in giant rabbits!   
Silrayn: *sticks out tongue* You weren't very good to my Ayan-kitsune. Besides, they're KANGAROOS not rabbits.   
Brad-kitsune: YOUR Ayan-kitsune? *shocks Silrayn*   
Silrayn: @.@   
Silrayn: Just for that, you're not going to get a lemon scene with Ayan-kit!   
Brad-kitsune: onna no baka! You promised them that this fic wouldn't have lemons.   
Silrayn: *sweat drops* I forgot.   
Brad-kitsune: *eagerly* Wai! So does that mean that I get any onscreen action in this fic?   
Silrayn: No. *whacks Brad with a mallet*   
Brad-kitsune: @.@ 

To Kyra: Sorry Kyra-san, no Farfie in this episode.   
To Daemon-chan: Nope, no other pairings. Besides, Nagi's got that blue-haired-umbrella-wielding-maniac *gets bashed on the head by the said girl* 

To Hana-chan (sorry this is late): translation of ages 200 kitsune years == 18 human years. Crawford translated to over 200 since he was human translated to kitsune. ^^; 

To Everyone: Thank you to all you reviewers! I hope you folks got a happy surprise out of this little twist. ^___^;   
  



End file.
